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The study aimed to assess the effects of year in college on students' perceptions of the cooperative learning process. Ninety-six college students completed 5 open-ended questions that asked students about their preferences for cooperative learning activities. Forty-nine first-year students and 47 second-year students participated in the study. A qualitative research design was used. Qualitative analyses compared---by year in college---the 5 open-ended questions. The principal investigator qualitatively analyzed the data for themes and subthemes, high-frequency responses, and percentage of response. Some findings were that first- and second-year students preferred the same types of group work and both groups had overlapping ideas on ways to make group work more enjoyable.

Most of the current literature on the experiences of Chinese international students tends to adopt a deficit-based approach, focusing on the weaknesses, problems, and challenges Chinese students face while studying overseas. In other words, they tend to focus on struggling Chinese students, "problem" Chinese students, and Chinese students who are failing their overseas studies. Though the intention may be good, these studies may strengthen a negative stereotypical image of Chinese international students that is problem ridden. This study aims to introduce some positive psychology in international student development by focusing on successful Chinese students, their success stories, and what success secrets they can share with future Chinese students studying abroad. With the completion of an undergraduate program adopted as a minimum threshold of student success, this study aims to glean the experiences of successful Chinese students in the United Kingdom and disseminate them as lessons for future students. The study finds that proactiveness in networking and seeking support, open and adaptive attitude toward learning and life, and metacognitive skills in self-management are the most important factors contributing to Chinese students' success in overseas studies.

Interprofessional education (IPE) is essential to prepare healthcare students to work collaboratively once they enter the mental health workforce. However, there is limited research exploring IPE for students in a mental health service context. This study aimed to explore stakeholder experiences of a work-integrated learning (WIL) placement model with embedded IPE opportunities for clinical psychology and occupational therapy students in a youth mental health service in Australia. Students (n=9), staff (n=12) and clients (n=10) involved in the model participated in semi-structured interviews. A template thematic analysis derived five themes from the data: placement model valuable for all stakeholders, students' interprofessional learning, the role of the clinical educators, contrasting expectations of students' workload, and challenges of piloting new models of care. The findings from this research highlight the value and challenges of WIL placements featuring IPE in mental health settings, providing useful future directions to organizations hoping to implement similar models.

This study aimed to explore the relationship between social support and perceived stress, and identify barriers to accessing support among undergraduate freshman students (N = 203). Quantitative assessment was conducted using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), supplemented by qualitative data from an open-ended questionnaire. Results indicated that students experienced higher-than-average levels of stress compared to the general population similar in age. Higher levels of social support were positively correlated with increased self-efficacy and negatively correlated with perceived helplessness. Qualitative analysis determined that students sought support primarily from family, friends, and counseling services, while barriers to seeking support included self-reliance, fear of burdening others, and trust issues. The findings suggest that college students with greater social support tend to feel less helpless and more efficacious. Recognizing and addressing support-seeking obstacles are crucial in providing appropriate resources to students. These implications underscore the significance of cultivating a supportive environment to enhance the wellbeing and success of undergraduate students.

This article systematically reviews the quantity and quality of Rebecca L. Oxford's publications over five decades of research and publication in language education and related fields. The first section portrays Oxford's contributions in four thematic areas: language learning strategies, language teaching, psychology, and peace. For each theme, many of Oxford's publications and ideas are presented. The second section is an overview of her career achievements, such as books published, courses taught, and academic honors. The third and the fourth sections present the systematic review. Specifically, the third section explains in detail the methodology used by Panahi and Mohebbi for their systematic review of Oxford's work, while the fourth section presents results of the systematic review across 338 of her works (journal articles, book chapters, and books). Oxford's personal response is the last section.

This research aimed to analyze the insertion of Brazilian psychology into the context of school inclusion of people with autism spectrum disorder. To this end, an integrative review was carried out in two stages: (1) mapping of publications on ASD in different areas of psychology; (2) analysis of the approaches and modes of action adopted to promote the inclusion of autistic people in school. The review considered articles published in the SciELO, BVS-Psi and PePsic databases, in Portuguese and English, between 2013 and 2023. The searches were carried out using the Boolean descriptors and operators psychology AND autism. The results point to three perspectives and modes of action in promoting school inclusion for autistic people: adaptation and adjustment through training, inclusion and development mediated by interactions with adults, and emergence of uniqueness resulting from the deconstruction of normalizing and pathologizing practices.

The purposes of this study were (1) to examine the components and indicators for promoting the professional development abilities of psychology teachers in rural primary schools within Guangxi Province; (2) to investigate the current state, the desirable state, and the necessity for promoting professional development abilities among psychology teachers in rural primary schools within Guangxi Province; and (3) to explore guidelines for the development of professional development abilities among psychology teachers in rural primary schools within Guangxi Province. The study utilized a multi-stage sampling method to select a sample group of 169 participants. The study was divided into 3 steps: Step 1 involved a study of the components and indicators, evaluated by 9 qualified individuals. Step 2 entailed an examination of the current and desirable state, and Step 3 focused on studying guidelines for developing the technological leadership qualities of teachers, with data provided by 8 participants. The research instruments used for data collection included questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and assessments. The statistical methods used for data analysis include mean, standard deviation, and the analysis of necessary requirements (PNI[subscript modified]). The research findings exhibited that 1. the components and indicators of the technological leadership qualities of teachers in educational management comprised 4 components with 40 indicators, namely: (1) Professional knowledge with 4 indicators, (2) Professional ability with 4 indicators, (3) Professional affection with 4 indicators, and (4) Professional autonomy with 2 indicators. These are highly appropriate, accurate, and feasible overall and individually, to the highest extent. 2. The necessary requirements for the professional development of psychology teachers indicated the necessity for development in every component, considering the development needs as follows: (1) Professional knowledge, (2) Professional ability, (3) Professional affection, and (4) Professional autonomy, respectively. 3. Guidelines for the ability development of psychology teachers in rural primary schools in Guangxi Province revealed a total of 14 development guidelines. Overall, the assessment of these guidelines for the ability development of psychology teachers in rural primary schools indicated a high level of suitability and feasibility, with the highest level of feasibility.

This qualitative case study examined 11 teaching assistants' (TAs) awareness of the need to infuse culturally responsive pedagogy into undergraduate level courses. The TAs represented the fields of political science, history, English, psychology, world languages, and kinesiology at one public university. One-on-one interviews were conducted, audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed utilizing six phase thematic analysis. Interactive analysis and coding provided a system to examine the data, generate initial codes, and subsequently review, define, and report on the themes that emerged. Results suggest the TAs interviewed had not been adequately prepared to infuse culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) with instruction.

In postsecondary education institutions, where innovative technologies continually reshape research and pedagogical approaches, the integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools presents promising avenues for enhancing student learning experiences. This study assesses the efficacy of integrating GenAI tools, specifically chatbots, to ameliorate learning outcomes and mitigate test anxiety among postsecondary students. Within the context of an introductory psychology course, 40 participants engaged with chatbots as supplementary "study confidantes" for exam preparation and as facilitators for an essay grading task. The results from surveys administered to the participants indicated that most students found the chatbots helpful in aiding comprehension of course materials. Moreover, a substantial proportion of respondents reported an enhanced understanding of how to structure an academic paper because of their essay grading activity. Despite the favourable perception of chatbot assistance with learning course material and fostering insights into structuring scholarly essays, no discernible alterations in the levels of test anxiety among students were observed. Overall, this research underscores the latent potential of chatbots as pedagogical adjuncts, furnishing instructive insights for educators aiming to innovate instructional methodologies and optimize student learning paradigms within the domain of postsecondary education.

Team based learning (TBL) is a co-operative learning method, increasingly used online within our digitalised society. The aim of this study is to better understand the factors influencing student satisfaction and engagement with online TBL. The study measures student satisfaction, accountability and preference for online TBL across three compulsory psychology undergraduate modules; PY1604 (Clinical Psychology), PY1608 (Employability in Psychology) and PY1702 (Academic Skills in Psychology). Seventy-two psychology students enrolled at a UK university completed the TBL-SAI online survey, where they answered 33 statements relating to online TBL on a five-point Likert-type scale. It was found students were significantly more accountable in the TBL method for PY1608 and PY1604 and significantly less accountable for PY1702. It was also found that there was significantly higher satisfaction for PY1604 compared to both PY1702 and PY1608, as well as students attending significantly more PY1604 sessions than PY1702 and PY1608. Overall, there was no significant difference in preference for online TBL over online lectures when comparing the three modules. The findings support our hypothesis, that there would be differences across the three modules in terms of satisfaction, accountability and preference for online TBL.

The transition in learning trajectories, academic pressures and stressors associated with financial and societal pressure that South African postgraduate university students experience places them at risk of mental health difficulties. For these students, their mental well-being has been further threatened due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent switch to emergency remote teaching. This study aimed to explore the physical and psychological health, resilience and coping amongst two Psychology honours student cohorts at a South African university. Using a repeated cross-sectional design, a sample of 38 Psychology honours students enrolled in 2020 and 39 Psychology honours students enrolled in 2021 voluntarily participated in the study. Overall, students reported poor mental health, with elevated levels of anxiety and burnout and moderate post-traumatic stress symptoms. The 2021 cohort reported significantly lower levels of self-efficacy, increased post-traumatic stress symptoms and employed coping through self-blame more frequently. Students' feelings of isolation persisted as well as feelings of hopelessness with regard to the contextual challenges faced by the country and the pandemic. Over the course of the pandemic, students found that they had less anxiety about online learning, however, they noted that the mental health support provided by the university was not sufficient. These results highlight the important role university mental health services play in fostering student mental well-being and thus the need to prioritise making mental health services to students more accessible and efficient.

This paper analyses the relation between generic competencies of students of Psychology and their academic performance and employability. A sample of 43 students of Psychology in a Spanish university was used to measure their generic competencies, academic performance and employability. Correlational and regression tests were conducted to evaluate the relation between the variables. The generic competence 'adhering to principles and values' is positively related to employability, while the competencies 'achieve results/client satisfaction' and 'socialise and create networks' are positively related to academic performance. No significant relationship was found between academic performance and employability. Generic competencies favour both academic performance and employability. The competencies which influence only one of these aspects are different. Our research offers insights to teacher learning communities to engage in a profound reflection on the inclusion of methodologies that facilitate the development of competencies related to academic performance and those most in demand in the labour market within the field of Psychology. Generic competencies are essential part of the education of students of Psychology. These competencies are institutionally developed with the aim of orienting the education of psychologists towards their future professional practice. It is essential to understand how the development of generic competencies may facilitate academic performance and employability of graduates in Psychology.

Biology education plays a vital role in nurturing the understanding of learners about the intricacy of life. Various efforts have emerged to strengthen learning biological concepts but there were still studies that showed that learners have low mastery in some aspects. To determine how well students understood various biological topics, including human physiology, Concept inventory tests (CIT) were used. The concept inventory test may be able to spot students' misconceptions and ultimately lead to improved comprehension. The crafted CIT developed with the aid of a table of specifications based on Bloom's taxonomy of cognitive domain was assessed according to its validity and reliability. In validation, content validity and item analysis were considered while reliability test was employed through Cronbach's alpha. Distractor analysis was also performed to determine possible source of misconception per item. The CIT was administered to 120 senior high school STEM students (50.8% from the private schools, 37.5% in regular public schools and 11.7% from public schools with special programs in science). The results displayed high content validity with a mean of 4.83 for content validity and an average Aiken's validity coefficient of 0.98. It also highlighted that the test is moderately difficult with the test difficulty of 0.58, as well as, discriminatory with a discriminating level of 0.46. After item classification, 63 items were retained (39 accepted, 24 for revisions) and Chronbach's alpha ([alpha]=0.74) indicated good internal consistency. The concept inventory test propounds to be a good classroom test science with minor items to be revised.

The researchers conducted a qualitative case study on a learning community comprising special education and psychology majors. This community was strategically organized to foster interdisciplinary learning among its members and to design interventions for students struggling with mathematics anxiety, specifically in classes like Algebra 1. Working alongside a university faculty member and a graduate student, the undergraduates applied mental health principles from psychology research to real-world situations. Their efforts included teaching Algebra 1 to a student grappling with both a learning disability in mathematics and mathematics anxiety. In their approach, the group utilized mindfulness principles to tailor conversations to the high school student's interests, effectively incorporating mindfulness techniques into the mathematics tutoring sessions. This approach proved successful, particularly when the student was experiencing high levels of anxiety, enabling significant progress in his Algebra 1 work. The collaborative efforts also provided substantial benefits to the college students, who learned about each other's fields of study. They effectively combined this knowledge in practical ways and applied it in real-world settings. The findings of this study offer important insights for the training of pre-service special education teachers and college students in related fields.

The educational approach known as positive education emerged from positive psychology and frequently attributes its conception of flourishing to Aristotelian eudaimonia. This is a point of contention between scholars who see positive psychology's flourishing as an epithet of Aristotelian virtues and others who have identified critical divergences between the philosophical foundations of positive psychology and Aristotle's normative ethics. Few scholars have examined whether adolescent understandings of flourishing reflect Aristotelian eudaimonia, and whether this is different in positive education students. This paper explores notion of the good life through the writings of 226 adolescents, 93 of whom attend a school that has implemented positive education. These are analysed through an Aristotelian lens, finding more similarities than differences between the groups. Both groups discussed relationships, emotions, and accomplishments, but moral goodness and virtue were not prominent. Conclusions are drawn about the implications of this for 'positive' education and the role it plays in nurturing flourishing.

This contribution proposes a fourth paradigm for twenty-first century careers adopting a sustainable development framework. First the evolution of the career development field through three paradigms (individual differences, individual development, life design) of career science and practice is offered. Then sustainable development as a fourth paradigm is introduced considering two pillars, Sustainability Science including contributions from the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development, and Human Security Psychology. Enhancing the well-being of individuals and environments, the fourth paradigm asks for redefining sustainable careers, career intervention, and skills for career counselors. Decent work, decent lives and healthy lives issues are included.

Pre-service teachers have been identified as a risk group for developing burnout syndromes over the course of their careers due to increased perceived psychological distress and, in particular, if there is a lack of coping strategies. To provide pre-service teachers with appropriate techniques and concepts that can be successfully applied in educational and work contexts, an online positive psychology intervention was designed to improve participants' resilience, in particular their self-efficacy, emotion regulation and ability to cope. Linear mixed models that simultaneously analyse variability between subjects and over time revealed that pre-service teachers who participated in the intervention benefited from the programme with respect to an increase of their emotion regulation strategies, self-efficacy and ability to cope compared to the control group--although at baseline, they exhibited less beneficial emotion regulation, self-efficacy and ability to cope. The findings suggest that such positive psychology interventions could help pre-service teachers build their resilience.

Background: The study of myths in psychology has conceptual and educational relevance: How to adapt the teaching of psychology to confront myths with grounded knowledge? A first step is to know which myths prevail and its relation to training in psychology. Objective: To explore myth's prevalence among Spanish first-year university students of Social (SS) and Engineering Sciences (ES) (Study 1), and among different levels of expertise in psychology (Study 2). Method: Questionnaire including 21 myths. Study 1: 175 first-year SS and ES undergraduates. Study 2: 102 lay, semi-experts and experts in psychology. Results: Lower prevalence of myths among Spanish students than in other countries (approx. 37% vs. 60%), with SS students performing better than ES students. Experts performed significantly better (14% myths endorsed) than lay students (33%), but not than semi-experts (19%). Conclusions: The lower prevalence of myths compared to other countries may be due to methodological and sociocultural aspects. University training in psychology helps to better identify myths but does not eradicate them. Teaching Implications: Need to reflect on the little progress beyond a medium level of expertise. Teachers and students must identify their own myths and work on them in classroom, promoting critical thinking.

Introduction: Students in higher education courses need to practice vital groupwork skills that are increasingly relevant in today's collaborative workplace, which often occurs through small group coursework. Statement of the Problem: The process of forming small groups with students who are committed to the topic and goals is frequently problematic. Literature Review: We review the literature on the advantages and disadvantages of common group formation strategies, such as self-assembly and professor assignment. Teaching Implications: We discuss the use of a unique method of forming small groups in a university setting through a fun, interactive activity based on the classic "speed-dating" exercise. Conclusion: We recommend that educators consider the use of a speed-interviewing group formation strategy to allow groups to form based on similar topic interests and work styles.

Background: Increasing students' ability to think critically allows them to engage more fully with psychology material. Objective: The current study used a critical thinking assignment called PsychBusters to examine critical thinking and interest in psychology in two sections of introductory psychology designated for first-year psychology majors. Method: The experimental section completed two PsychBusters presentations including a poster presentation. The control course section also completed poster presentations but did not do the PsychBusters assignment. For both sections, critical thinking skills and levels of interest in psychology were measured at the start and end of the semester. Results: Students in both sections maintained a high interest in psychology across the semester. The section that worked on the PsychBusters misconception assignment had similar critical thinking skills as the control at the start of the semester but had higher scores at the posttest. Conclusion: Assignments that direct students to focus on critical thinking may not improve one's interest in psychology. However, class assignments that hone critical thinking skills should be integrated into psychology courses with the aim of improving students' reasoning. Teaching Implications: The development of critical thinking skills in psychology majors should start early in the curriculum.

Background: Completing positive psychology-related activities can increase subjective and objective well-being. Objective: The present study investigated whether completing a condensed positive psychology course increases students' subjective well-being and academic achievement relative to those who completed other condensed psychology courses. Method: One hundred and eighty-one students completed a condensed 4-week to 5-week asynchronous, fully online, positive psychology, cognitive psychology, or statistics course. All students completed three questionnaires assessing their subjective wellbeing (life satisfaction, happiness, and stress level) at two time points: precompletion and postcompletion of the course. Participants were also asked to indicate how often they shared the information they learned in the course with their close others, and their course grade was analyzed. Results: Students who completed the positive psychology course reported higher levels of life satisfaction, lower levels of stress, and had a higher course grade compared to students completing the other psychology courses. Students who completed positive psychology indicated that they were more likely to share what they had been learning with their close others than those who completed the other courses. Among the positive psychology activities, participants indicated that they were most likely to continue performing random acts of kindness. Conclusion: Completing a positive psychology course benefits both the individual and the community at large. Teaching implications: The results support the use of a positive psychology course to improve students' well-being and academic achievement.

Background: Because plagiarism is such a common form of academic dishonesty, many instructors are seeking ways to effectively teach students to avoid plagiarism. Objective: The current study tested the effectiveness of a 3-pronged intervention to teach students in an upper-level psychology course to better understand plagiarism. Method: The intervention involved three different assignments across the first part of the semester: an online plagiarism tutorial, an in-class lecture over a plagiarism handout, and a follow-up homework exercise that helped students apply what they learned from the tutorial and handout. Results: Study 1 showed that students in the intervention class scored higher on an end-of-semester plagiarism test compared to a control group of classes that did not use the intervention. Study 2 replicated these results and ruled out the possibility of preexisting differences in plagiarism knowledge by comparing plagiarism test scores on a beginning-of-semester pretest and an end-of-semester posttest in both the intervention and control classes. Conclusion: The results of this naturalistic, quasi-experimental study suggest that multiple exposures to anti-plagiarism instruction in different formats can be effective. Teaching Implications: Psychology instructors can improve students' understanding of plagiarism and how to avoid it by using this 3-pronged approach in their courses.

Background: Teaching students about race and racism is critical to and relevant in psychology classrooms. Objective: We explored whether direct instruction dismantling ideas that race is genetic affects students' race essentialist and other related beliefs. Method: Undergraduate students enrolled in four social psychology courses completed measures of race essentialism and other related beliefs before and after engaging in course-directed activities designed to reduce endorsement of biological essentialist beliefs about race. Results: After class activities, students reported lower levels of general racial essentialist beliefs and estimated that more progress is needed to reduce racial inequality. However, attitudes towards racially minoritized groups or perceived need for anti-racist actions did not shift, and colorblind ideology may have increased. Conclusion: These data provide evidence that essentialism shifts can be accomplished in the psychology classroom, but shifting related beliefs may require additional instruction. Teaching Implications: The class activities described in this research provide a way for instructors to introduce students to a new concept (race essentialism) and change students' beliefs in the genetic underpinning of race.

Background: Methods are needed to incentivize student attention to class material. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of in-class quizzing to incentivize student attention to class material to boost exam performance. Method: A randomized, alternating treatments design embedded in an introductory psychology class compared learning benefits of two types of quiz-based engagement activities, mastery quizzes, and concepts checks, as compared to a no-engagement activity control. Results: Students performed significantly better on exam content linked to classes with quiz-based engagement activities. Learning benefits of engagement activities extended across levels of cognitive complexity indexed to Bloom levels, although were stronger for low-level items. The effects of engagement activities were also stronger for content directly discussed in class. There were no significant differences in learning outcomes between the two engagement activities. Conclusion: Students performed better on exam content linked to class sessions with quiz-based engagement activities that incentivized attention to class material compared to those that did not. Teaching Implications: Using in-class quizzes as attentional cues offers instructors a means of incentivizing student attention to class material with minimal disruption of class time and lecture flow, while also improving exam scores.

Positive psychology offers a scientific window onto understanding and enhancing the welfare and growth of university communities, and as well as improving academic performance. This holistic approach is on the rise, yet most research is conducted in Western countries. This situation prevails despite the fact that two-thirds of the world's population live in Asia. This review collated and synthesised published work on applications of positive psychology in higher education conducted in Asia, to describe the current status, explore conceptual perspectives and identify knowledge gaps. A total of 147 articles (157 experimental studies), published since 2000, were included. These were descriptive explorations (12.1%), quantifying associations between positive psychology constructs (62.4%), interventions (19.7%), and psychometric evaluations (5.7%). Key topics were academic leadership, organisational commitment, student engagement and foreign language learning. The thematic framework centered on 'Optimal Functioning', with 'Personal Resources One Can Draw On' and 'How One Interacts With The World' as direct influencing factors, and 'Environment' as an indirect factor. Across the Asian region, positive psychology's major contribution is to identify what types of personal resources are associated with optimal functioning in higher education, but there is little high-quality evidence for intervention benefits, nor a deep understanding of how those resources can be effectively deployed to achieve well-being. As part of the third-wave positive psychology movement, scholars in Asia can play a greater leading role in re-evaluating traditional Western concepts to account for the socio-cultural context in which students and staff are embedded.

The emergence of Positive Psychology in second language acquisition has placed greater emphasis on the vital role of engagement in learning English as a foreign language (EFL). Although previous research has established that EFL learners' engagement is affected by ideal L2 self, boredom, and grit respectively, sporadic studies have attempted to address the simultaneous link between these factors and engagement. To fill the gap, this study aims to examine the association between the ideal L2 self and engagement among EFL learners, with a special focus on the mediating role of grit and boredom in the relationship. A total of 466 EFL learners were enrolled in two public universities in Northern China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) results revealed that grit positively predicted engagement and mediated the relationship between the ideal L2 self and engagement. Moreover, boredom negatively predicted engagement and acted as a mediator between the ideal L2 self and engagement. However, ideal L2 self did not directly predict engagement. These findings contribute to the current knowledge by elucidating the complex relationships between the three factors and engagement, which can provide insights for pedagogical practices and directions for future research.

This article reports results of a mixed-methods study following the development of undergraduates' information literacy over three years. Information literacy knowledge and skills in this sample (n = 116) increased with time, as did information literacy attitudes when measured by interest and information literacy's perceived usefulness and importance. Correlations among students' information literacy knowledge, skills, and attitudes also increased with time, implying a progressively stronger integration of the three. Complementary interviews with 13 students revealed that they became more interested in being information literate. Some experienced an identity change as a result of this development, indicating that transformative information literacy learning can occur.

This research investigates the role of reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) in statistics education among two distinct samples of undergraduate psychology students. In Study 1, 318 students in a third-year statistics course completed self-report measures of RST, anxiety, attitudes, and self-efficacy concerning the study of statistics. In Study 2, 577 students from first-, second-, and third-year statistics courses participated. Controlling for age and gender, both studies found students who were high in goal-drive persistence reported lower statistics anxiety, higher statistics self-efficacy and more favourable attitudes toward learning statistics, while students who were high in the tendency to avoid threat reported higher statistics anxiety. Those with a more sensitive behavioural inhibition system reported greater statistics anxiety and less favourable attitudes, in Study 2 but not Study 1. Results indicate that RST dimensions account for as much as 23% of additional variance in statistics anxiety, 18% in statistics self-efficacy, and 11% in attitudes, after controlling for age and gender. These studies highlight the utility of RST dimensions, notably goal-drive persistence, threat sensitivity, and behavioural inhibition, in providing critical information as to personality differences among students that need to be considered when developing programs targeting statistics anxiety, attitudes, and self-efficacy.

This paper addresses the need for a more comprehensive framework of excellence in higher education, which goes beyond academic achievement alone, placing emphasis on its integration with personal characteristics, and acknowledging the diversity in the student population. Two research studies were conducted to establish this comprehensive framework. The pilot study aimed to offer a conceptual definition of the excellent university student according to the perceptions of the academic community. The study, which involved 26 teachers and 159 students, was informed by teacher interviews, student essays, and focus group discussions. The established conceptual framework of excellence was based on a subset of essential attributes that could be embodied by a real student. The conceptual framework comprises facets of expertness, proactive learning, and being a good person organised within the dimensions of educational and personal excellence. It is complemented by academic achievement and underpinned by genuine study motivation. Building upon the findings of the pilot study, the main study aimed to develop and implement a systematic procedure for identifying excellent students. The study, which involved 53 teachers and 112 students, was based on a multisource assessment of multiple contextually relevant criteria of excellence. The identification procedure involved three phases: teacher nomination and assessment, academic achievement assessment, and peer assessment. As a result, 10 excellent students were identified who met all the conceptual criteria of excellence. In conclusion, this paper presents a comprehensive conceptual and methodological framework for defining and identifying excellent university students, grounded in both theoretical principles and empirical findings.

Undergraduates often struggle writing argumentative syntheses from conflicting sources. Written guides can help in the different phases of the process involved in these tasks and are more effective when accompanied by explicit instruction. Nevertheless, there are few studies on instructional rubrics as an aid to argumentative writing and none are focused on synthesis tasks. Our objectives were to compare (1) the effectiveness of a guide and a rubric as aids to the processes of selection and integration in writing an argumentative synthesis; (2) whether explicit instruction in synthesis writing strategies enhances the effects of both aids and (3) the effectiveness of the aids offered during the practice sessions performed with the support of aids and after removing those aids. The study was conducted with 120 undergraduate psychology students. An experimental inter/intra-subject factorial design 2 (Instruction) x 2 (Type of aid) x 4 (Time) was employed. We used mixed linear models to assess the intervention effects. The guide facilitated the selection of arguments. Both guide and rubric promoted integration. When students also received explicit instruction, the learning rate of integration strategies was accelerated, and the impact of guide and rubric was greater.

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the associated confinement, imposed a novel personal and social context for university students; nevertheless, few studies have addressed the effects of this on distance university students. Indeed, defining the needs of these students under such unique circumstances will allow them to receive the support necessary to effectively reduce their perceived stress and improve their academic achievement. A predictive model was designed to examine the direct effects of the variables' age and perceived study time on stress and academic achievement in students in an online learning context, as well as to assess the indirect effects through the mediating role of academic self-efficacy. Using path analysis, the model was tested on a sample of 1030 undergraduate students between 18 and 60 years old enrolled on a psychology degree course at the UNED (National Distance Learning University of Spain). The model provides a good fit to the data, confirming the mediating role of academic self-efficacy. Perceived study time is a factor negatively associated with stress and positively with academic achievement. However, it appeared that age was not related to academic achievement, indicating that academic self-efficacy had no mediating effect on these two variables. Academic self-efficacy is a mediator and protective factor in challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic. These results may contribute to the design of educational and clinical interventions for students at an online learning university over an extended age range.

Background: Parent engagement in child-focused interventions is increasingly recognised as an important aspect of effective intervention delivery. While several fields have an emerging literature around parent engagement, no reviews currently exist which combine findings across allied health literatures. Objective: This review aimed to explore factors relevant to understanding parent engagement in child-focused interventions, as described in qualitative literature across allied health disciplines, toward informing the clinical practice of helping professionals in effectively engaging parents. Methods: A systematised qualitative literature review was carried out, with a comprehensive search of five online databases (CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus) for allied health literature (specifically: behaviour analysis, occupational therapy, psychology, and speech-language therapy) using parent engagement key words. Reference searching and citation tracking steps supported the search. Thematic synthesis was used as the overarching framework and analysis approach. Results: 8824 unique studies were generated in the search. Of the 71 studies which met inclusion criteria, 38 reported qualitative findings and were included in the analysis. Five themes were identified including: societal context, interpersonal context, clinician features, family features, and relationship as engagement. Conclusions: Findings support conceptual explanations of parent engagement as a complex and dynamic process, emphasising the joint contributions of parents and clinicians in developing therapeutic relationships which promote engagement. Across allied health research there are consistency of understandings around parent engagement, supporting the conclusion that clinicians can look to literatures from various helping fields to inform clinical practice around engaging parents in interventions.

Great effort has been invested in increasing STEM achievement among students, but feelings of low status among underrepresented or otherwise vulnerable students may be creating additional challenges. The present study assessed how perceptions of social status within the classroom--termed subjective social status--aligned with objective course performance and differed by sex, first-generation status, work status, and race/ethnicity among 713 students enrolled across three introductory statistics classes. Findings indicated that final exam score was moderately related to ratings of subjective social status, suggesting that factors besides objective course performance may influence classroom subjective social status. When asked to explain how they evaluated their standing in the course, students reported five main themes, including both academic achievement with respect to exam scores and their understanding of course content. When examining differences by status-based identities in subjective social status, we found that female and first-generation students had lower subjective social status compared to their male and continuing-generation peers, although results were less robust for first-generation status. Likewise, working students reported lower subjective social status relative to non-working students, despite showing no difference in final exam score. In contrast, although Asian/Asian American students outperformed Latine students, there were no differences in reports of subjective social status between Asian/Asian American, Latine, and white students. Taken together, results suggest that factors beyond course performance may relate to students' subjective social status, and subjective social status may contribute to disparities in academic performance, especially by sex and work status. [Page range listed on publisher's website incorrect, correct page range is p1921-1946.]

This study adopts a cultural ecological perspective to examine how cumulative effects of external transcultural and cultural strengths are related to baseline and changes in three markers of Mexican-origin adolescents' self-growth (i.e., resilience, life meaning, and discipline). Using a three-wave longitudinal data set (5 years) of 604 adolescents, cumulative strengths (CS) was calculated, and growth curve analyses showed a similar pattern of findings for both transcultural and cultural cumulative strengths models: Adolescents with higher CS showed higher baseline resilience, life meaning, and discipline. While there were no significant associations between adolescents' CS scores and the increase in resilience, adolescents with higher CS scores showed steeper declines in life meaning and discipline (although these declines were no longer significant for cultural CS when transcultural and cultural CS were simultaneously tested in the same model). The findings emphasize a cultural ecological understanding of Mexican-origin youths' positive development from early to later adolescence. They also provide support for a CS model and have implications for positive psychology theories.

Primarily undergraduate institutions (PUI) often struggle to provide authentic research opportunities that culminate in peer-reviewed publications due to "recipe-driven" lab courses and the comprehensive body of work necessary for traditional scientific publication. However, the advent of short-form, single-figure "micropublications" has created novel opportunities for early-career scientists to make and publish authentic scientific contributions on a scale and in a timespan compatible with their training periods. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore the benefits accrued by eight undergraduate and master's students who participated in authentic, small-scale research projects and disseminated their work as coauthors of peer-reviewed micropublications at a PUI. In these interviews, students reported that through the process of conducting and publishing their research, they developed specific competencies: reading scientific literature, proposing experiments, and collecting/interpreting publication-worthy data. Further, they reported this process enabled them to identify as contributing members of the greater scientific community.

Innovative, pedagogically informed instructional design is instrumental in increasing student engagement and improving learning outcomes in online learning environments. Interactive learning resources provide students with the opportunity to engage with content in a more personalised manner. H5P (HTML 5 Package) is a collaborative platform that allows developers to create interactive content and has been regularly used in education settings. Some evidence suggests using interactive H5P resources in online education courses could lead to greater student engagement. However, to date, there has been little investigation into whether H5P resources can improve student learning outcomes. The current study aimed to assess whether using interactive H5P resources improved assessed learning outcomes in an online undergraduate psychology course. A randomized cross-over design was utilized to test whether students exposed to H5P interactive videos had improved assessment results when compared to a control group. This study found no meaningful differences in assessment scores between students exposed to H5P versus those that were not. There was low overall engagement with the interactive content. However, students who did engage with the resources reported a positive experience and indicated a preference for more interactive elements in future courses. Future research should extend on the instructional design obstacles identified in this study, for example, by examining whether improved accessibility and education on the benefits of interactive resources would increase engagement and grades.

Science should provide students an accurate and contemporary education on genetic influence, particularly how it impacts trait variability and developmental norms. Stories involving familial, racial, and sexual differences routinely appear in the popular media and sales of over-the-counter genetic tests are mounting. Unfortunately, research suggests genetic curricula in secondary education and university courses have little impact on genetic literacy; instead they appear to amplify genetic essentialism. This position paper reports on genetic essentialism, the impact of three components of science education (teachers, students, curriculum), and critiques existing genetic lessons in two prevalent scientific disciplines, biology and psychology. Two entrenched 19th century genetic paradigms (e.g., Mendelian inheritance and behavioral genetics) are specifically examined. The paper closes with specific recommendations for improving students' genetic literacy including important contemporary genetic science (e.g., epigenetics) and instructional approaches (e.g., learning progression, refutational teaching).

This paper reports on a pilot implementation of the FL2 approach and resources, developed to support tertiary students' wellbeing as well as their second language learning (L2). The FL2 approach and learning activities were piloted in two Spanish language courses at Australian universities. Evaluation data were collected through an online survey of participating students and compared to the results of previous pilots conducted with students of Italian. Responses to scale items and open-ended questions indicate that the majority of participants greatly enjoyed their experiences in the courses and were satisfied with the learning opportunities provided, which shows potential for the FL2 approach. Evaluations of seven Positive Psychology-informed learning activities also piloted in this study were more nuanced. Taken together, these results suggest that designing curriculum to support student wellbeing as well as disciplinary learning can yield positive results. However, careful consideration must be given to alignment between FL2 activities and curriculum, as well as to students' individual differences in the reception of Positive Psychology-informed activities.

University graduates have invested significant time, money, and effort into completing their studies, with many discovering that their chosen discipline is not what they were expecting, nor the right fit for their individual values or goals. Transition between disciplines is particularly common in the helping professions, but little is known about the motivation for these transitions. To better understand motivations for transitioning disciplines, we investigated why psychology graduates chose to transition to post-graduate counselling studies. Using semi-structured interviews, we asked the participants (n = 8) to describe their perceptions, motivations, and experiences of studying psychology and counselling. Applying reflexive thematic analysis, we identified a meta-theme that the transition to counselling was facilitated by the participants' desire to have a profession that aligned with their core values; and they viewed counselling as a strength-based, flexible, holistic, and humanistic approach to helping others.

This study used a short-term longitudinal design to test the social-cognitive model of career self-management's (CSM) theorized pathway in which exploratory actions mediate the association between career exploration self-efficacy and decisional outcomes. The study clarifies the role of exploratory actions in the decision-making process by distinguishing between self-exploration and environmental exploration. College students (N = 136; 77% female; mean age = 18.71 years [SD = 1.19]; 47% with undeclared majors) completed an online survey assessing self-efficacy for self-appraisal and self-efficacy for obtaining occupational information. A month later, they reported the frequency of their engagement in self-exploratory and environment-exploratory actions over the past month and completed measures of two decisional outcomes reflecting readiness to make career decisions (vocational identity and need for additional occupational information). The CSM's mediational pathway was supported with respect to self-exploration but not environmental exploration. I discuss implications for the CSM model and for career-development interventions.

Introduction: Internet memes are a ubiquitous part of internet culture and a common communication tool among students. Because they are a good medium for expressing ideas and concepts in a concise and fun manner, memes are a potentially valuable tool for teaching and engaging students. Statement of the Problem: Instructors may not know how to use memes in classroom assignments or activities to support learning objectives. Literature Review: Students finding or creating their own class-related content is an empirically supported way to enhance learning. Instructors can enhance learning by using multimedia approaches (pictures/videos in addition to words), which is a good fit for the use of memes. We include examples of ways that memes have already been used in psychology classrooms. Teaching Implications: Incorporating meme assignments or activities in the classroom could be beneficial. Conclusion: We describe how students can explain or generate memes that illustrate concepts related to course material. Instructions and supporting information and resources, as well as calls for research into the effectiveness of the use of memes in the classroom, are included.

Background: Utility-value (UV) classroom interventions typically involve students completing assignments that involve writing about the usefulness of the course material. They are widely recommended and have received some empirical support. Objective: This study tested the effectiveness of a UV intervention in an online research methods course. It was a conceptual replication of a study by Hulleman et al. (2017, Study 2). Method: Students (N = 264) were randomly assigned to complete three assignments that required them to write about the usefulness of course material or three assignments that required them to summarize course material. The groups were compared in terms of their scores on a research methods knowledge test, their final papers, their final exams, and their final point totals, along with measures of the interestingness and usefulness of the course material. Results: There were no differences between conditions on any of the outcome variables. Conclusion: The UV intervention was ineffective. Further research is needed to establish the conditions under which such interventions are and are not effective. Teaching Implications: UV interventions do not necessarily improve student performance. Instructors who use them should consider doing so in a way that allows for an assessment of their effect in their local context.

Background: Few studies have examined the effects of later class start times in college, even though developmentally driven sleep phase changes persist into the mid-20s. Objective: We hypothesized that sleepiness would be higher in an 8 a.m. versus 10 a.m. section of Introductory Psychology, and grades, engagement, enjoyment, attendance, assignment completion, ease of waking and staying awake, and student evaluations of teaching (SETs) would be lower. Method: Eighty-two students enrolled in an 8 a.m. (n = 39) or 10 a.m. (n = 43) section of Introductory Psychology reported their GPA and completed the Stanford Sleepiness Scale, Likert-scale items from the College's SET form, and other questions. Results: Students in the 8 a.m. section reported lower GPA, class grade, and assignments completed; more sleepiness; and a harder time waking up and staying awake for class. Several findings held when controlling for GPA. Conclusion: Results extend previous research and suggest the importance of offering later classes in college. Limitations include a small sample size, quasi-experimental design, and use of self-report data. Future researchers should test whether findings replicate with other kinds of classes and in other subjects. Teaching Implications: To maximize student success and well-being, later courses should be offered at the college level whenever feasible.

Background: Textbooks shape the content and structure of most introductory psychology courses. It is important to compare the content of textbooks to assist educators in making the best textbook choice. Objective: The purpose of this study was to conduct an analysis of five commonly used introductory psychology textbooks and examine the extent of overlap in their content coverage. Method: Two trained readers identified 3878 key terms after performing a page-by-page content analysis. Commonality among texts was assessed by determining how many textbooks included each term. Results: Coverage of psychology topics differed significantly across textbooks with 2766 terms (71%) unique to a single textbook. There were 494 terms (13%), 263 terms (7%), and 201 terms (5%) appearing in two, three, and four books, respectively. Only 154 terms (4%) were common to all five. Conclusion: Given our results and how reliant course instructors are on textbooks, it appears introductory psychology students may not be exposed to similar vocabulary. Teaching Implications: Introductory psychology textbooks may be similar at a chapter and topic level but do not share as much specific content as may be commonly believed. Instructors should take the time to check if the content matches course goals and expectations.

Background: Student transition to university can be a challenging time. Research suggests that providing space for student reflection and goal setting may facilitate this period of transition. Objective: I describe the "Postcard to my Graduating Self Project," in which psychology students were invited to write postcards to their future selves. In the postcards, students were encouraged to reflect upon their goals and plans for their psychology degree. Method: I ran the Postcard Project as part of an induction program of a BSc Psychology undergraduate cohort. One hundred and sixty-six undergraduate psychology students completed postcards. Results: In my reading of the postcards and experiences of running the session, students appeared to use the postcard project as: (1) "a motivational tool," which prompted thinking about future goals; (2) "a reflective device," which encouraged reflecting upon previous experiences; (3) and "a social experience," which brought students together in unique ways. Conclusion: Facilitating students' writing postcards to their future self may foster social connections and provide educators with richer insights into the student experience. Teaching Implications: I provide tips for conducting this project in other institutions and encourage educators to consider using the "Postcard to my Graduating Self Project."

Background: Research on the experiences of tenured faculty employed at teaching-intensive institutions is lacking. Objective: We gathered data regarding how tenured psychology faculty allocate time. We identify variables that predict time allocation and report associations between time allocation and job satisfaction. Method: We surveyed 386 tenured psychology professors at regional, public universities in the United States. We measured (1) the percentage of time respondents typically allocated and would prefer to allocate to four activities: teaching, research, service, and administration, and (2) job satisfaction and intentions to seek another position. Results: Time typically allocated to teaching, research, service, and administrative activities was unrelated to job satisfaction. Time allocated to research was associated with intentions to seek another position. Associate professors allocated more time to teaching than did full professors. The discrepancy between typical and preferred time allocation was associated with occupational dissatisfaction. Conclusion: In contrast to previous studies, we found that allocating a large percentage of work time to teaching activities did not predict lower job satisfaction. Teaching Implications: Tenured psychology faculty allocated time to teaching activities in ways consistent with their preferences.

Psychological literacy refers to the ability of a psychology student to use psychological knowledge, rather than merely "learn" it, in the context of personal, social, and organizational issues. Embedding psychological literacy in assessment is a critical step in helping students develop this capacity. This report presents an innovative applied scenarios assignment for a social and developmental psychology module, designed to challenge students to make theoretical and evidence-based explanations or suggestions in relation to novel real-world situations. Across the scenarios, students are required to respond and adapt to a range of tasks and purposes and effectively communicate their knowledge to diverse audiences. Student evaluation (n = 142) of their experiences and perceived competencies developed from working on the scenarios compared to traditional essay assignments were analyzed. Findings suggest students valued the authentic nature of the assessment and the challenges it presents. They recognized the unique skills they developed, including application and communication skills, and felt that they gained better understanding of psychological content as a result. We hope this report will inspire readers to design similar assessment tasks that provide students with opportunities to practice, and thus develop, their psychological literacy.

This report describes and reflects upon an approach to embedding psychological literacy within the core Research Methods curriculum in a small university in the United Kingdom. Psychology students were involved in the 'Living Lab: Feeding the Campus' project, an interdisciplinary network of students and staff aiming to find solutions for local issues of direct relevance to students' lives. The Living Lab focused on understanding and improving the campus food system in the context of ecological justice. Undergraduate psychology students participated through the Qualitative Research Methods, a compulsory second-year module. Psychology students conducted interview studies related to food topics such as poverty, identities and culture, community gardens, waste, sustainable lifestyles, and activism. Students collected data on campus to examine food-related experiences within the university community. Findings are being used to inform changes in the university. In this report, we describe the first iteration of involving psychology students in the Living Lab. Our approach involved an authentic assessment, participation in events and fieldtrips and interdisciplinary collaboration. We combine insights from student feedback with staff reflections on its implementation and impact. Finally, we discuss the potential of using research methods modules as a way to facilitate psychological literacy.