The role of emotion and reflection in the development of student teachers' self-efficacy when analyzing video lessons

Introduction

Teachers' self-efficacy is an important indicator of student teachers' preparedness for teaching. Interventions using video lessons are effective in increasing student teachers' self-efficacy. However, there is a lack of research on emotional and reflective processes in the context of video-based interventions.

Methods

The present study examined emotions and reflection as well as their effects on changes in self-efficacy in a video-based intervention. A total of 159 student teachers participated in the study. The participants were randomly assigned to three groups: Two groups analyzed video lessons in which group roup one received open-ended observation tasks (ig1) and group two received structured observation tasks (ig2). Participants in the control group (cg) analyzed text-based case studies with open-ended observation tasks.

Results

The results show that self-efficacy increased with medium effect size (d = 0.68) in video group two (ig2), whose members analyzed videos using structured observation tasks but not in video group one (ig1), whose members analyzed open-ended observation tasks, and in the control group. In addition, there were significant relations between positive arousal and reflection. Finally, regression analyses showed that reflection was a significant predictor for changes in self-efficacy, whereas no significant effect of emotional arousal was detected.

Discussion

In conclusion, the findings of this study indicate that video-based interventions with structured observation tasks increased self-efficacy among student teachers. Furthermore, the findings provide novel evidence on the association between reflection, self-efficacy and emotion in video-based interventions in teacher education.

Toward equitable open research: stakeholder co-created recommendations for research institutions, funders and researchers

Open Research aims to make research more accessible, transparent, reproducible, shared and collaborative. Doing so is meant to democratize and diversify access to knowledge and knowledge production, and ensure that research is useful outside of academic contexts. Increasing equity is therefore a key aim of the Open Research movement, yet mounting evidence demonstrates that the practices of Open Research are implemented in ways that undermine this. In response, we convened a diverse community of researchers, research managers and funders to co-create actionable recommendations for supporting the equitable implementation of Open Research. Using a co-creative modified Delphi method, we generated consensus-driven recommendations that address three key problem areas: the resource-intensive nature of Open Research, the high cost of article processing charges, and obstructive reward and recognition practices at funders and research institutions that undermine the implementation of Open Research. In this paper, we provide an overview of these issues, a detailed description of the co-creative process, and present the recommendations and the debates that surrounded them. We discuss these recommendations in relation to other recently published ones and conclude that implementing ours requires 'global thinking' to ensure that a systemic and inclusive approach to change is taken.

Teaching Professional Boundaries in Psychiatric Nursing: Resource Development

BACKGROUND

A standard of practice in psychiatric nursing pertains to the ability to maintain professional boundaries within a nurse-patient relationship. Nursing students are inexperienced in maintaining nurse-patient relationships and are at risk of crossing professional boundaries. Research regarding boundary instruction and available resources is needed to guide educators.

METHOD

Psychiatric nurse educators (n = 11) and psychiatric nurses (n = 9) were interviewed to determine what resources psychiatric nursing educators use to teach professional boundaries to undergraduate students. Following the interviews and preliminary analysis, eight participants also attended a focus group.

RESULTS

Participants reported resources such as textbooks were useful for defining professional boundaries. Participants also described case studies as a resource available to help operationalize boundaries in psychiatric nursing practice.

CONCLUSION

Resources should be developed to address changes in care provision and technology to include cultural competence and guidelines for the use of social media. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(2):97-100.].

Are sex differences in self-estimated intelligence an elusive phenomenon? Exploring the role of working memory, creativity, and other psychological correlates in young and older adults

BACKGROUND

Although there is research examining the demographic predictors of self-estimated intelligence (SEI) in young adults, so far SEI in old age is little investigated. This study aims to examine the influence of additional variables such as self-estimated emotional intelligence (SEEQ), physical attractiveness, health, general optimism, religiousness, and working memory (WM) on SEI both in young and older adults.

METHODS

A total of 159 young (90 women, M_age  = 28.77, SD = 8.83) and 152 older adults (93 women, M_age  = 71.92, SD = 6.84) completed a measure of SEI as well as questions regarding the abovementioned variables. Given that WM is considered a very strong predictor of intelligence, neuropsychological assessment included the measurement of WM and phonologically cued semantic retrieval-verbal storage and processing in WM, as assessed by the Digit Span Forward and Verbal Fluency Task. The visual storage in WM was assessed with a variation of the Visual Patterns Test, and the visual storage and processing in WM with the Corsi blocks task (backward). Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS-X) was also administered as a possible influence on cognitive performance and SEI.

RESULTS

Young males rated their intelligence quotient (IQ) and emotional quotient (EQ) higher than young females. This was not confirmed for older adults, for which surprisingly the reversed pattern was found. Older women reported higher IQ and EQ than older men. Correlations showed for all participants that the higher they rated their IQ, the higher their ratings of EQ, physical attractiveness, health, and religiousness. No significant correlations between objective tests regarding WM and SEI were found, supporting SEI overestimations. Age, sex, physical attractiveness, and SEEQ were significant predictors of SEI.

DISCUSSION

For the first time, a reverse sex difference across age groups in SEI is found. Implications for individuals and healthcare professionals involved in assessment are suggested.

Improving evidence-based practice through preregistration of applied research: Barriers and recommendations

Preregistration is the practice of publicly publishing plans on central components of the research process before access to, or collection, of data. Within the context of the replication crisis, open science practices like preregistration have been pivotal in facilitating greater transparency in research. However, such practices have been applied nearly exclusively to basic academic research, with rare consideration of the relevance to applied and consultancy-based research. This is particularly problematic as such research is typically reported with very low levels of transparency and accountability despite being disseminated as influential gray literature to inform practice. Evidence-based practice is best served by an appreciation of multiple sources of quality evidence, thus the current review considers the potential of preregistration to improve both the accessibility and credibility of applied research toward more rigorous evidence-based practice. The current three-part review outlines, first, the opportunities of preregistration for applied research, and second, three barriers - practical challenges, stakeholder roles, and the suitability of preregistration. Last, this review makes four recommendations to overcome these barriers and maximize the opportunities of preregistration for academics, industry, and the structures they are held within - changes to preregistration templates, new types of templates, education and training, and recognition and structural changes.

[Students' perspective on generalized nursing education in Germany: Results of a nationwide online survey]

Students' perspective on generalized nursing education in Germany: Results of a nationwide online survey Abstract. Background: Generalized nursing education in Germany was introduced in 2020 as a reaction to changed care conditions. The reform's implementation is accompanied by a nationwide longitudinal survey with three surveys among students in generalized nursing education. Aims: We present results of the first survey round. The explorative approach provides data that allows insights into students' experiences and thus indicates adjustment opportunities. Method: The online survey used standardized questionnaires and was directed at students that had begun generalized nursing education in 2020. 1,267 students from 316 nursing schools in 15 German federal states participated in the first survey round. The survey recorded students' career choice motivations, learning experiences in nursing schools and practical placements, as well as contextual factors. Results: The students' career choice is mainly interest-driven (77.8%). The program is rated good to satisfactory (overall grade 2.45). Frequent and well-designed practical guidance and a transfer of information between nursing school and clinical placement appear important but insufficiently implemented. Data shows an increased need for support services. Conclusions: In addition to positive findings, the practical learning design and the dialogue between theory and practice appear challenging, while support services should be expanded.

The effect of educational computer games on the academic resilience, academic self-regulation, and academic achievement of EFL students

Introduction

In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the field of educational computer games (ECGs). Although ECGs have been researched, more analyses still need to be performed on these variables to check their effects on language learning.

Methods

To this end, 74-third grade female state high school students from two schools in Zanjan were selected through a two-stage cluster random sampling method. The number of students in each class was 37. One of the classes (control group) was trained traditionally and the other was for one semester through the researchers-made ECGs. After completing the training, the research tools were performed as a post-test on the experimental and control groups. The data collection stage took place for about 6 months.

Results

Based on the results from the research questions, the use of training computers has been effective in increasing AR, ASR, and AA.

Discussion

It has significant implications for teachers and learners in the EFL context and opens interesting opportunities for administrators and curriculum developers to explore when planning EFL courses.

Experiences of family members when a parent is hospitalized for their mental illness: a qualitative systematic review

BACKGROUND

A considerable proportion of people attending mental health services are parents with dependent children. Parental mental illness can be challenging for all family members including the parent's children and partner. The hospitalization of the parent and subsequent separation from dependent children may be a particularly challenging time for all family members. The aim of this paper was to review qualitative studies of family members' experiences when parents, who have dependent children, were hospitalized for their mental illness. The experiences of parents themselves, their children aged 0-18 (including retrospective accounts of adults describing their childhoods), and other family members are included.

METHODS

This systematic review followed Cochrane Collaboration and PRISMA guidelines. A search was performed with keywords relating to parents, mental illness, psychiatric treatment, inpatient units, family members and experiences. Databases included CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, ProQuest, MEDLINE, PubMed and Scopus. Quality assessment was undertaken using an expanded version of the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme. Thematic synthesis was conducted on the included papers.

RESULTS

Eight papers were identified. The quality assessment was rated as high in some papers, in terms of the clarity of research aims, justification of the methodology employed, recruitment strategy and consideration of ethics. In others, the study design, inclusion criteria and reporting of participant demographics were unclear. Family experiences of pressure and additional responsibilities associated with the parent receiving inpatient treatment were identified along with the family's need for psychoeducational information, and guidance when visiting the parent in hospital. Children expressed various emotions and the need to connect with others. The final theme related to adverse impacts on the parent-child bond when the parent was hospitalized.

CONCLUSION

The limited research in this area indicates that the needs of families are not being met when a parent is hospitalized for their mental illness. There is a considerable need for adequate models of care, family-focused training for staff, and psychoeducational resources for families. Additional research in this area is essential to understand the experiences of different family members during this vulnerable time.

A systematic scoping review of reflective writing in medical education

BACKGROUND

Reflective writing (RW) allows physicians to step back, review their thoughts, goals and actions and recognise how their perspectives, motives and emotions impact their conduct. RW also helps physicians consolidate their learning and boosts their professional and personal development. In the absence of a consistent approach and amidst growing threats to RW's place in medical training, a review of theories of RW in medical education and a review to map regnant practices, programs and assessment methods are proposed.

METHODS

A Systematic Evidence-Based Approach guided Systematic Scoping Review (SSR in SEBA) was adopted to guide and structure the two concurrent reviews. Independent searches were carried out on publications featured between 1st January 2000 and 30th June 2022 in PubMed, Embase, PsychINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, ASSIA, Scopus, Google Scholar, OpenGrey, GreyLit and ProQuest. The Split Approach saw the included articles analysed separately using thematic and content analysis. Like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, the Jigsaw Perspective combined the themes and categories identified from both reviews. The Funnelling Process saw the themes/categories created compared with the tabulated summaries. The final domains which emerged structured the discussion that followed.

RESULTS

A total of 33,076 abstracts were reviewed, 1826 full-text articles were appraised and 199 articles were included and analysed. The domains identified were theories and models, current methods, benefits and shortcomings, and recommendations.

CONCLUSIONS

This SSR in SEBA suggests that a structured approach to RW shapes the physician's belief system, guides their practice and nurtures their professional identity formation. In advancing a theoretical concept of RW, this SSR in SEBA proffers new insight into the process of RW, and the need for longitudinal, personalised feedback and support.

Promoting Liberal Education through Introductory Psychology: The Perspective-Based Approach

Introductory psychology is typically presented to undergraduates as a set of loosely related topics reflecting the organization of most textbooks. The empirically based evidence presented in the topical format is likely to be limited by progressive knowledge obsolesce and replicability challenges impacting contemporary science. We suggest that psychology instructors consider an alternative course format organized by theories or perspectives. A perspective-centered introductory psychology provides a consistent and pluralistic view of the field and embeds research findings and methodology within psychology’s major explanatory theories. Current trends in undergraduate higher education emphasize career readiness. Development of critical thinking and applying psychological principles to real-world situations, including students’ own lives, may be better achieved through a perspective-based approach. Given that the typical introductory psychology student is a non-major taking the course to fulfil liberal arts requirements, a perspective approach offers several advantages. A focus on understanding human behavior from multiple vantage points is a skill valued by prospective employers of new bachelor’s degree recipients. With its emphasis on divergent and dialectical reasoning, a perspectivecenteredintroductory psychology course can become the centerpiece of the general education curriculum. In addition to promoting post-formal reasoning, a perspective-centered introductory psychology illustrates the diverse epistemologies that have shaped our field.

"Staying in the present moment is important": Examining the impact of a short-term classroom-based mindfulness intervention among first-year students

Objective: To determine the impact of four classroom-based sessions on mindfulness and symptoms of psychological distress among first-year students. A secondary objective was to explore participants' involvement experiences. Participants: First-year undergraduate students at a Canadian university were recruited. Methods: A mixed-methods pre-experimental design with repeated measures was used. The mindfulness intervention involved four, 15-minute sessions delivered by a counselor from the university's Student Health and Wellness center. Results: A significant positive change to participants' mindfulness scores from pre- to post-intervention was observed. Qualitatively, themes relating to intervention benefits, challenges, and logistics emerged. Conclusions: Collectively, results supported the utility of this brief mindfulness intervention delivered to first-year students. Participants were appreciative of the techniques learned and the "in-class" delivery format. Given the pressures faced by post-secondary students, collaborating with student wellness centers in this way may represent a novel and efficient approach for attenuating health risks while promoting their personal wellness.

Displaying pride: Variation by social context, ethnic heritage, and gender?

Pride is universal; however, the complexities linked to its social status functions and implications for social relationships suggest the possibility of variation in its display. Drawing from empirical evidence, this study examined whether displayed pride would vary by social context (i.e., whether the target was a competitor or a loved one), ethnic heritage (i.e., membership in individualistic or collectivistic cultural groups) and by gender. Young adults (N = 145) verbally described a pride experience to an imagined competitor, loved one, stranger or in a no-context control condition. Results showed similarity in displayed pride across the four contexts. However, some ethnic group and gender variations were observed. Latino/a/x Americans displayed less pride verbally than European Americans while women displayed more than men. These findings contribute to a better understanding of how people manage the display of pride and suggest that ethnic and gendered motivations for managing pride displays are relevant to a comprehensive understanding of interpersonal emotion regulation.

The relationship between Chinese university students' learning preparation and learning achievement within the EFL blended teaching context in COVID-19 post-epidemic era: The mediating effect of learning methods

The effectiveness of the blended teaching model in improving university students' English learning achievement has been frequently reported in China in the post-pandemic era. However, such research has seldom explored the students' entire EFL (English as a foreign language) learning process and mechanism from the perspective of learners within this model. This study therefore used the 3P (presage, process and product) teaching and learning theory to explore the mediating role of learning methods (i.e., learning engagement and academic procrastination) in the relationship between learning preparation (i.e., academic self-concept and course experience) and learning achievement within the Chinese EFL blended teaching context from the perspective of learners. In this study, 942 Chinese university students (male: N = 447; female: N = 495) participated in a survey and completed electronic questionnaires on EFL-related academic self-concept, learning engagement, academic procrastination, and learning achievement. The data were analyzed using AMOS software and a structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. The results showed that both students' academic self-concept and course experience directly and positively predicted their English learning achievement. Moreover, students' academic self-concept of learning achievement was partially mediated by learning engagement and academic procrastination, whereas the effect of course experience on learning achievement was fully mediated by learning engagement and academic procrastination. After discussing these findings, suggestions as well as limitations for future studies will be given.

Use of practice tests with immediate feedback in an undergraduate molecular biology course

Multiple studies have shown that testing contributes to learning at all educational levels. In this observational classroom study, we report the use of a learning tool developed for a Genetics and Molecular Biology course at the college level. An interactive set of practice exams that included 136 multiple choice questions (MCQ) or matching queries was developed in the open-source Moodle platform. All MCQ questions contained four answer choices and configured for immediate feedback upon answering. Feedback consisted of providing the right answer and a short explanation of the learning objective examined. The interactive material was tested and refined for several semesters. Usefulness of this tool was assessed in two distinct settings: (1) during a face-to-face semester (Fall 2019) by comparing the grades in a final departmental exam between students who used the tool and those who did not, and (2) during an online semester (Fall 2020) by analyzing the grades in the first and last attempts on study sessions and students' performance in monthly exams. We found that when solving practice tests, students obtained a significantly higher scores in the last attempt compared with their first attempt, and that students who used the material performed better than those who did not. In all cases, answering the practice exams was optional, but students made full use of them preferentially during the online semester. This classroom research exemplifies the documented effectiveness of practice tests enhanced with feedback in biological sciences education through an open-source learning platform.

Registered report: Survey on attitudes and experiences regarding preregistration in psychological research

BACKGROUND

Preregistration, the open science practice of specifying and registering details of a planned study prior to knowing the data, increases the transparency and reproducibility of research. Large-scale replication attempts for psychological results yielded shockingly low success rates and contributed to an increasing demand for open science practices among psychologists. However, preregistering one's studies is still not the norm in the field. Here, we conducted a study to explore possible reasons for this discrepancy.

METHODS

In a mixed-methods approach, we conducted an online survey assessing attitudes, motivations, and perceived obstacles with respect to preregistration. Respondents (N = 289) were psychological researchers that were recruited through their publications on Web of Science, PubMed, PSYNDEX, and PsycInfo, and preregistrations on OSF Registries. Based on the theory of planned behavior, we predicted that positive attitudes (moderated by the perceived importance of preregistration) as well as a favorable subjective norm and higher perceived behavioral control positively influence researchers' intention to preregister (directional hypothesis 1). Furthermore, we expected an influence of research experience on attitudes and perceived motivations and obstacles regarding preregistration (non-directional hypothesis 2). We analyzed these hypotheses with multiple regression models and included preregistration experience as a control variable.

RESULTS

Researchers' attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and the perceived importance of preregistration significantly predicted researchers' intention to use preregistration in the future (see hypothesis 1). Research experience influenced both researchers' attitudes and their perception of motivations to preregister, but not the perception of obstacles (see hypothesis 2). Descriptive reports on researchers' attitudes, motivations and obstacles regarding preregistration are provided.

DISCUSSION

Many researchers had already preregistered and had a rather positive attitude toward preregistration. Nevertheless, several obstacles were identified that may be addressed to improve and foster preregistration.

Impacts of learning experiences within an online extension initiative on application of research-based principles by beef stakeholders

The objective of this study was to evaluate, characterize and quantify the learning experiences and subsequent application of research-based technologies by beef producers upon conclusion of an online extension certification program (44 Farms International Beef Cattle Academy, IBCA). Upon conclusion of the program, paricipants were invited to complete a structured interview. Interview transcripts (n = 19) were coded, categorized, and merged into four overarching themes: Strengths, Struggles, Courses, and Geographical origin. Within Strengths, the most frequent codes were Connections, Application, and Instructor Experience, with 61, 53, and 50 coded segments respectively. Within Struggles, the most frequent codes were Time Management, Level of Knowledge, and Language issues, with 27, 18, and 15 coded segments, respectively. For Courses in the program, the most frequently mentioned were Nutrition, Reproduction, and Genetics, with 35, 28, and 24 coded segments respectively. Correlation between codes was evaluated using Pearson and only statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05) correlations were included in the matrices for network analysis. Interpretation of the generated network analysis map (P ≤ 0.05; Q = 0.468) including all four categories of codes revealed close relationships between Application and the Strengths of Time management, Instructor Experience, and Connections. Application was also directly related to the Courses of Reproduction and Genetics, and the Struggle of Student Engagement and Guidance. Geographical origin was an important factor mediating different correlations. Developing countries (Brazil, Panama, Dominican Republic, and South Africa) were more closely related to the Struggle of Tuition cost, which, in turn was related to the perceived Prestige of the program. In Europe (Romania, Germany, and Kazakhstan), a stronger correlation to the Struggles of Material Relevance and Language Issues was described. Collectively, these results support the positive impact of a comprehensive and interactive extension initiative to leverage application of research-based principles by beef stakeholders around the world. Further, these outcomes indicate that the most valued aspects of the program regarding application are related to interpersonal experience with faculty and peers of the industry (Instructor Experience and Connections) and that perception of struggles and strengths is greatly influenced by socio-cultural aspects of the learning community.

Variations in psychological disorders, suicidality, and help-seeking behaviour among college students from different academic disciplines

BACKGROUND

Elevated levels of suicidality, ADHD, mental ill-health and substance disorders are reported among college students globally, yet few receive treatment. Some faculties and courses appear to have more at-risk students than others. The current study aimed to determine if students commencing college in different academic disciplines were at a heightened risk for psychopathology, substance use disorders and suicidal behaviour, and examined variations in help-seeking behaviour.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study utilised data collected from 1,829 first-year undergraduate students as part of the Student Psychological Intervention Trial (SPIT) which commenced in September 2019 across four Ulster University campuses in Northern Ireland and an Institute of Technology, in the North-West of Ireland. The SPIT study is part of the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative (WMH-ICS) which uses the WMH-CIDI to identify 12-month and lifetime disorders.

RESULTS

Students from Life and Health Sciences reported the lowest rates of a range of psychological problems in the year prior to commencing college, while participants studying Arts and Humanities displayed the highest levels (e.g. depression 20.6%; social anxiety 38.8%). However, within faculty variations were found. For example, psychology students reported high rates, while nursing students reported low rates. Variations in help seeking behaviour were also revealed, with male students less likely to seek help.

CONCLUSIONS

Detecting specific cohorts at risk of psychological disorders and suicidality is challenging. This study revealed that some academic disciplines have more vulnerable students than others, with many reluctant to seek help for their problems. It is important for educators to be aware of such issues and for colleges to provide information and support to students at risk. Tailored interventions and prevention strategies may be beneficial to address the needs of students from different disciplines.

Does your group matter? How group function impacts educational outcomes in problem-based learning: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a common instructional method in undergraduate health professions training. Group interactions with and within PBL curricula may influence learning outcomes, yet few studies have synthesized the existing evidence. This scoping review summarized the literature examining the influence of group function on individual student PBL outcomes. Following Kirkpatrick's framework, experiential, academic, and behavioral outcomes were considered. The impacts of three aspects of group function were explored: (1) Group Composition (identities and diversity), (2) Group Processes (conduct and climate, motivation and confidence, and facilitation), and (3) PBL Processes (tutorial activities).

METHODS

A literature search was conducted using Medline, CINAHL, and APA PsychInfo from 1980-2021, with the help of a librarian. English-language empirical studies and reviews that related group function to learning outcome, as defined, in undergraduate health professions PBL curricula were included. Relevant references from included articles were also added if eligibility criteria were met. The methods, results, discussions, and limitations of the sample were summarized narratively.

RESULTS

The final sample (n = 48) varied greatly in context, design, and results. Most studies examined junior medical students (n = 32), used questionnaires for data collection (n = 29), and reported immediate cross-sectional outcomes (n = 34). Group Processes was the most frequently examined aspect of group function (n = 29), followed by Group Composition (n = 26) and PBL Processes (n = 12). The relationships between group function and outcomes were not consistent across studies. PBL experiences were generally highly rated, but favorable student experiences were not reliable indicators of better academic or behavioral outcomes. Conversely, problematic group behaviors were not predictors of poorer grades. Common confounders of outcome measurements included exam pressure and self-study.

CONCLUSIONS

The main findings of the review suggested that (1) group function is more predictive of experiential than academic or behavioral PBL outcomes, and (2) different Kirkpatrick levels of outcomes are not highly correlated to each other. More research is needed to understand the complexity of group function in PBL tutorials under variable study contexts and better inform curricular training and design. Standardized tools for measuring PBL group function may be required for more conclusive findings.

Bayesian tests of two proportions: A tutorial with R and JASP

The need for a comparison between two proportions (sometimes called an A/B test) often arises in business, psychology, and the analysis of clinical trial data. Here we discuss two Bayesian A/B tests that allow users to monitor the uncertainty about a difference in two proportions as data accumulate over time. We emphasize the advantage of assigning a dependent prior distribution to the proportions (i.e., assigning a prior to the log odds ratio). This dependent-prior approach has been implemented in the open-source statistical software programs R and JASP. Several examples demonstrate how JASP can be used to apply this Bayesian test and interpret the results.

Towards Open Science within Health Care Technology and Management Education

Lack of research reproducibility, restricted access to scientific knowledge to citizens, fake news (on social media) and limited citizens’ involvement during scientific knowledge generation are phenomena which negatively affect the relationship between Science and society. Unfortunately, students, who will be the next scientists, practitioners and citizens, are not educated to address these scientific and societal challenges. Teaching Open Science (OS) principles to students may equip them to deal with these challenges during their future career. OS refers to any endeavour aiming to make one’s research more open, inclusive, accessible, reproducible and replicable. Therefore, OS is expected to address these challenges by promoting: open and reproducible research, publicly available scientific knowledge, public engagement of (scientific) experts within society and greater citizens’ involvement in Science. OS consequently promises to transform the relationship between Science and society. This teaching innovation will introduce Health Care Technology and Management students with the theoretical underpinning of OS and will let students practise OS during a group project. The teaching activities will comprise a series of interactive lectures and practical assignments. Key topics of this teaching innovation are an introduction to OS and FAIR principles, pre-registration, performing open reproducible research, open peer-review and practise public outreach. The teaching materials and activities will be co-created with students who already participated in this course to ensure the OS content matches students’ knowledge, interests and needs. Dissemination efforts will be undertaken during the entire duration of the project to increase awareness concerning the importance of teaching OS within educational curricula.

Best Practices for Ethical Conduct of Misinformation Research

Abstract. Misinformation can have noxious impacts on cognition, fostering the formation of false beliefs, retroactively distorting memory for events, and influencing reasoning and decision-making even after it has been credibly corrected. Researchers investigating the impacts of real-world misinformation are therefore faced with an ethical issue: they must consider the immediate and long-term consequences of exposing participants to false claims. In this paper, we first present an overview of the ethical risks associated with real-world misinformation. We then report results from a scoping review of ethical practices in misinformation research. We investigated (1) the extent to which researchers report the details of their ethical practices, including issues of informed consent and debriefing, and (2) the specific steps that researchers report taking to protect participants from the consequences of misinformation exposure. We found that fewer than 30% of misinformation papers report any debriefing, and almost no authors assessed the effectiveness of their debriefing procedure. Building on the findings from this review, we evaluate the balance of risk versus reward currently operating in this field and propose a set of guidelines for best practices. Our ultimate goal is to allow researchers the freedom to investigate questions of considerable scientific and societal impact while meeting their ethical obligations to participants.

Take on transplant: human-centered design of a patient education tool to facilitate informed discussions about lung transplant among people with cystic fibrosis

OBJECTIVE

Lung transplant (LTx) saves lives in cystic fibrosis (CF). However, many potential candidates express uncertainty about LTx and die before receiving this treatment. CF guidelines recommend LTx education and clinical discussions well before the need for LTx arises, but limited patient resources exist.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We engaged people with CF and CF physicians in human-centered design of "Take On Transplant" (TOT), a web-based education tool to prepare patients for LTx discussions. Across 3 phases, needs assessment, design groups, and iterative user testing of TOT, we refined TOT from wireframe prototypes, to an interactive website, to a fully functional intervention ready for clinical trials.

RESULTS

Fifty-five people with CF and 105 physicians identified information needs to prepare for LTx discussions. Design groups (n = 14 participants) then established core requirements: didactic education ("Resource Library"), patient narratives ("CF Stories"), frequently asked questions ("FAQ"), and self-assessment to tailor content ("My CF Stage"). Iterative usability testing (n = 39) optimized the design of CF Stories and prototype layout. We then developed the TOT website and demonstrated feasibility and preliminary efficacy of use through 2-week field testing (n = 9).

DISCUSSION

Our human-centered design process provided guidance for educational tools to serve the evolving needs of potential LTx candidates. Our findings support the process of patient deliberation as a foundation for shared decision-making in CF, and inform educational tools that could potentially translate beyond LTx.

CONCLUSION

TOT fills a critical gap in preparing people with CF for shared decision-making about LTx and may serve as a model for educational tools for other preference-sensitive decisions.

An fMRI intervention study of creative mathematical reasoning: behavioral and brain effects across different levels of cognitive ability

BACKGROUND

Many learning methods of mathematical reasoning encourage imitative procedures (algorithmic reasoning, AR) instead of more constructive reasoning processes (creative mathematical reasoning, CMR). Recent research suggest that learning with CMR compared to AR leads to better performance and differential brain activity during a subsequent test. Here, we considered the role of individual differences in cognitive ability in relation to effects of CMR.

METHODS

We employed a within-subject intervention (N=72, M_Age=18.0) followed by a brain-imaging session (fMRI) one week later. A battery of cognitive tests preceded the intervention. Participants were divided into three cognitive ability groups based on their cognitive score (low, intermediate and high).

RESULTS

On mathematical tasks previously practiced with CMR compared to AR we observed better performance, and higher brain activity in key regions for mathematical cognition such as left angular gyrus and left inferior/middle frontal gyrus. The CMR-effects did not interact with cognitive ability, albeit the effects on performance were driven by the intermediate and high cognitive ability groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Encouraging pupils to engage in constructive processes when learning mathematical reasoning confers lasting learning effects on brain activation, independent of cognitive ability. However, the lack of a CMR-effect on performance for the low cognitive ability group suggest future studies should focus on individualized learning interventions, allowing more opportunities for effortful struggle with CMR.

Changes in psychological distress among Polish medical university teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Our study aims to update knowledge about psychological distress and its changes in the Polish group of academic medical teachers after two years of a global pandemic. During the coronavirus disease, teachers were challenged to rapidly transition into remote teaching and adapt new assessment and evaluation systems for students, which might have been a completely novel situation that was not addressed before, especially in medical universities in Poland. We conducted a cross-sectional study at Poznan University of Medical Sciences from March to April 2022. The questionnaire included self-reported information on anxiety, stress, and depression. We found that post-pandemic levels of anxiety, stress, and depression have significantly (p<0.001) improved compared to initial levels at the beginning of coronavirus disease. In multivariate models, females had higher odds of improving levels of anxiety (OR  =  0.46; 95% CI  =  -1.58-(-0.03); p  =  0.04), stress (OR  =  0.36; 95% CI  =  -1.83-(-0.22); p  =  0.01), and depression (OR  =  0.0.37; 95% CI  =  -1.58-(-0.12); p  =  0.03). Anxiety, stress, or depression were not significantly associated with years of experience, the number of taught subjects, and weekly teaching hours, but only with the academic work during COVID-19 (Spearman ranxiety = 0.37, rstress = 0.32, rdepression = 0.37, p<0.001). For the virtual learning concerns, 79% of teachers reported that students might engage less; and it was correlated with higher weekly teaching hours (r = 0.19, p<0.05). Even though only 29.8% reported cheating as a concern, it was correlated with a higher number of taught subjects (r = 0.2, p<0.05). Levels of anxiety, stress, and depression have improved as time passed, not affecting teachers' academic performance. Concerns about virtual learning have been raised, suggesting it may be conjoined with classroom learning but not as an alternative. Universities should highlight the importance of seeking psychological support and provide essential programs to employees. Teachers' coping skills with psychological distress should be further studied.

Comparing the Outcomes of Face-to-Face and Synchronous Online Research Mentor Training Using Propensity Score Matching

In this study, propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to examine differences in the effectiveness of research mentor training (RMT) implemented using two modes-face-to-face or synchronous online training. This study investigated each training mode and assessed participants' perceived gains in mentoring skills, ability to meet mentees' expectations, and overall quality of mentoring, as well as intention to make changes to their mentoring practices. Additional factors that may contribute to participant outcomes were also examined. In total, 152 mentors trained using a synchronous online platform and 655 mentors trained in in-person workshops were analyzed using the PSM method. Mentors were matched based on similar characteristics, including mentee's career stage, mentor's title, mentor's prior mentoring experience, mentor's race/ethnicity and sex, and mentor's years of experience; results show that both face-to-face and synchronous online modes of RMT are effective. Findings indicated that the training mode did not significantly impact the mentors' perceived training outcomes. Factors associated with the reported training outcomes included dosage (hours of training), facilitator effectiveness, race/ethnicity, and previous mentoring experience. The results of this study demonstrate that mentors' perceived training outcomes are comparable regardless of the training modality used-online versus face-to-face.

Integrating Cognitive Behavioural and Islamic Principles in Psychology and Psychotherapy: A Narrative Review

Standardisation of knowledge has become a by-product of globalisation, and western-based models are often seen as the ultimate answer to expertise and development. In light of this, some professionals have debated the feasibility of employing cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with Muslim communities. Debates have focused on CBT's secular roots and its compatibility with a world where Islam permeates most aspects of life. This article highlights some of the theoretical dilemmas of integration and suggests ways to bridge the existing gap between secular and Islamic literature and avoid alienating those individuals who might feel uncomfortable with secular CBT teachings.

Constructing a critical thinking evaluation framework for college students majoring in the humanities

Introduction

Education for sustainable development (ESD) has focused on the promotion of sustainable thinking skills, capacities, or abilities for learners of different educational stages. Critical thinking (CT) plays an important role in the lifelong development of college students, which is also one of the key competencies in ESD. The development of a valuable framework for assessing college students' CT is important for understanding their level of CT. Therefore, this study aimed to construct a reliable self-evaluation CT framework for college students majoring in the humanities.

Methods

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and Item analysis were conducted to explore the reliability and validity of the CT evaluation framework. Six hundred and forty-two college students majoring in the humanities were collected. The sample was randomly divided into two subsamples (n1 = 321, n2 = 321).

Results

The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the whole scale was 0.909, and the values of the Cronbach's alpha coefficients for individual factors of the scale ranged from 0.724 to 0.878. Then CFA was conducted within the scope of the validity study of the scale. In this way, the structure of the 7-factor scale was confirmed. Results indicated that the constructed evaluation framework performed consistently with the collected data. CFA also confirmed a good model fitting of the relevant 22 factors of the college students' CT framework (χ²/df = 3.110, RMSEA = 0.056, GFI = 0.927, AGFI = 0.902, NFI = 0.923, and CFI = 0.946).

Discussion

These findings revealed that the CT abilities self-evaluation scale was a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the CT abilities of college students in the humanities. Therefore, the college students' CT self-evaluation framework included three dimensions: discipline cognition (DC), CT disposition, and CT skills. Among them, CT disposition consisted of motivation (MO), attention (AT), and open-mindedness (OM), while CT skills included clarification skills (CS), organization skills (OS), and reflection (RE). Therefore, this framework can be an effective instrument to support college students' CT measurement. Consequently, some suggestions are also put forward regarding how to apply the instrument in future studies.

The Testing Effect in the Lecture Hall: Does it Depend on Learner Prerequisites?

The benefits of practice testing for long-term learning are well established in many contexts. However, little is known about learner characteristics that might moderate its effectiveness. The effects of practice tests might depend on individual prerequisites for learning, especially in real-world educational settings. We explored whether the effects of practice testing in a regular university lecture would depend on cognitive (e.g., prior knowledge), motivational (e.g., learning motivation), or emotional (test anxiety) dispositions. We implemented an experimental intervention design in psychology courses for teacher students ( N  =  208). One week before the lecture, focal learner characteristics were assessed. Immediately after the lecture, participants completed an online review session with short-answer questions (practice testing with corrective feedback) or summarizing statements (restudy), alternating within each participant. One week later, retention of learning contents was assessed with a criterial test containing short-answer and multiple-choice questions. A testing effect emerged (ηp²  =  .07), with better retention for the tested compared with the restudied contents. Some learner characteristics affected learning outcomes, but no interactions with testing vs. restudy occurred. These results suggest that the testing effect in the university classroom is a robust phenomenon that benefits learning irrespective of primary individual learning prerequisites.

Exploring the impact of a mindfulness meditation class on college student stress levels and quality of life

Objective: This study explored the differences in perceptions of stress levels and quality of life amongst college students enrolled in mindfulness meditation classes and those enrolled in an introductory holistic health class. Participants: 236 undergraduate students at a mid-sized university completed coursework and surveys. Methods: One-credit mindfulness meditation classes and an introductory holistic health class, serving as the control group, were offered over the course of one semester. Pre- and posttest questionnaires on stress and quality of life were administered to the participants. Results: Students enrolled in mindfulness meditation classes began with higher stress levels and lower perceptions of their quality of life compared to the control group. The mindfulness meditation class participants ended with both significantly lower stress levels and higher quality of life scores then the control group. Conclusions: Offering mindfulness meditation classes for credit may help promote positive mental health and well-being for students on a college campus.

Sleep preferentially consolidates negative aspects of human memory: Well-powered evidence from two large online experiments

Recent research has called into question whether sleep improves memory, especially for emotional information. However, many of these studies used a relatively small number of participants and focused only on college student samples, limiting both the power of these findings and their generalizability to the wider population. Here, using the well-established emotional memory trade-off task, we investigated sleep’s impact on memory for emotional components of scenes in a large online sample of adults ranging in age from 18 to 59 y. Despite the limitations inherent in using online samples, this well-powered study provides strong evidence that sleep selectively consolidates negative emotional aspects of memory and that this effect generalizes to participants across young adulthood and middle age.

Research suggests that sleep benefits memory. Moreover, it is often claimed that sleep selectively benefits memory for emotionally salient information over neutral information. However, not all scientists are convinced by this relationship [e.g., J. M. Siegel. Curr. Sleep Med. Rep., 7, 15–18 (2021)]. One criticism of the overall sleep and memory literature—like other literature—is that many studies are underpowered and lacking in generalizability [M. J. Cordi, B. Rasch. Curr. Opin. Neurobiol., 67, 1–7 (2021)], thus leaving the evidence mixed and confusing to interpret. Because large replication studies are sorely needed, we recruited over 250 participants spanning various age ranges and backgrounds in an effort to confirm sleep’s preferential emotional memory consolidation benefit using a well-established task. We found that sleep selectively benefits memory for negative emotional objects at the expense of their paired neutral backgrounds, confirming our prior work and clearly demonstrating a role for sleep in emotional memory formation. In a second experiment also using a large sample, we examined whether this effect generalized to positive emotional memory. We found that while participants demonstrated better memory for positive objects compared to their neutral backgrounds, sleep did not modulate this effect. This research provides strong support for a sleep-specific benefit on memory consolidation for specifically negative information and more broadly affirms the benefit of sleep for cognition.

Innate ability, health, motivation, and social capital as predictors of students’ cognitive, affective and psychomotor learning outcomes in secondary schools

Background

Previous studies assessing students’ learning outcomes and identifying contributing factors have often dwelt on the cognitive domain. Furthermore, school evaluation decisions are often made using scores from cognitive-based tests to rank students. This practice often skews evaluation results, given that education aims to improve the three learning domains. This study addresses this gap by assessing the contributions of four students’ input to their cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills (CAPs).

Methods

A cross-section of senior secondary class II students (n = 870), sampled through the multistage procedure, participated in a physical survey. Students’ Inputs Questionnaire (STIQ) and Learning Outcomes Questionnaire (LOQ) were used for data collection. Based on data obtained from a pilot sample (n = 412), principal axis factoring (PAF) was performed to assess the internal structure of the instruments following an oblique rotation. The KMO value of sampling adequacy were 0.88 and 0.94, while the Bartlett’s test of sphericity were significant χ2(253) = 5,010; p &lt; 0.001 and χ2(105) = 3693.38, p &lt; 0.001 for the STIQ and LOQ, respectively. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the models’ acceptability based on the maximum likelihood estimation technique. The main study used hierarchical linear regression for data analysis.

Results

Findings indicated that innate ability, health, motivation and social capital relatively and cumulatively predicted students’ overall, cognitive, affective and psychomotor learning outcomes. The proportion of variance explained by the predictors increased at different levels of the models with the addition of new variables. Students’ social capital reduced the effect of students’ innate ability regardless of their motivation and health status.

Conclusion/implication

This study has provided evidence that the four students’ inputs are crucial predictors of their learning outcomes in the three domains. This result is helpful for school management to provide services aimed at improving the school climate for students’ motivation and social capital. The result can provide policymakers with a proper understanding of the constituents of learning outcomes and how policies can be aligned to secure quality student inputs for maximum productivity in education.

A proposed architectural learner model for a personalized learning environment

Nowadays, the need for e-learning is amplified, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. E-learning platforms present a solution for the continuity of the learning process. Learners are using different platforms and tools for learning. For this, it is necessary to model the learner for the personalization of the learning environment according to his needs, and characteristics, which will allow having a more effective and efficient environment. The existing literature maintains that the learner model represents the basis and the key to adaptation. To achieve this goal, we propose a new adaptation aspect of the learner model by integrating relevant information such as learning style, domain-related data, assessment-related data, and affective data. It has advantages in terms of precision as it solves the problem of management uncertainty of some parameters. Our approach suggests that the combination of stereotype method, fuzzy logic, and similarity techniques is an appropriate approach for initializing and updating the learner model for learning personalization.

Bringing Psychology Students Closer to People with Schizophrenia at Pandemic Time: A Study of a Distance Anti-stigma Intervention With In-presence Opportunistic Control Group

Psychology students are a target population to increase the likelihood that Persons With Schizophrenia (PWS) will receive evidence-based psycho-social interventions in the future. The willingness of future psychologists to care for PWS can be supported through anti-stigma educational interventions. During the pandemic, university education was delivered largely at-distance, which was later combined with in-presence education. This study explored whether an At-Distance Educational Intervention (ADEI), addressing stigma in schizophrenia via scientific evidence and testimony: would improve psychology students' views of PWS, at the one-month post intervention re-assessments; would be more effective of the same In-Presence Educational Intervention (IPEI). ADEI was delivered online to students of two Master's degrees in Psychology at the University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy. IPEI was administered to a similar group of 76 students in the pre-pandemic era. Participants completed an anonymous questionnaire about their views on schizophrenia before the intervention (two three-hour sessions one week apart) and one month after its completion. Compared to their pre-intervention assessments, at post-intervention reassessments the 65 ADEI students were: more confident in the recovery and the usefulness of psychological therapies; surer of the PWS awareness and capability to report health problems to professionals; more skeptical about PWS dangerousness, social distance, and affective difficulties; more uncertain on the opportunity to discriminate PWS in hospital and psychology practices. ADEI was more effective than IPEI in five of the ten dimensions analyzed and similarly effective in the remaining others. ADEI may represent a valuable alternative to IPEI for improving future psychologists' view of PWS.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40737-022-00308-1.

Perception of Vulnerability and Ruminant Thoughts about COVID-19 in Spanish Students

The current situation in schools in relation to COVID-19 can generate a decrease in academic performance due to factors intrinsic to students. Therefore, rumination about COVID-19 could interfere with students' attention, resulting in a decrease in their academic performance. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore the relationship between the perception of vulnerability to the disease and rumination about COVID-19 from a cross-sectional sample of post-compulsory education students. The differences in the perception of vulnerability to disease and rumination in different groups were analyzed, separated by gender. Our data suggest a positive relationship between the perception of vulnerability to the disease and ruminants' thoughts about COVID-19 (r = 0.29). Gender differences are significant, with women having higher scores than men in both variables.

Experiential Group Psychotherapy Training with Undergraduate Students in Spain

This paper describes a single case study design examining the experiences of 14 undergraduate psychology students in Spain who participated in a group psychology course with an analytic, experiential group training component. Our goal was to better understand trainees' experiences as participants in the groups and gather their perceptions on the main mechanisms of learning that occur. Qualitative data came from participants' personal reflective journals, and thematic analysis was used to code these data. Quantitative data came from participants' pre-post scores on a therapeutic factors inventory (Yalom's therapeutic factors). Test scores suggest that altruism, universality, cohesion, increased among participants, from pre- to posttest. In addition, qualitative analysis revealed that the group process followed an expected progression (e.g., hesitant and superficial, to deep and emotionally charged interventions, to themes surrounding closure and integration). We review learning mechanisms identified by participants, such as practice in the observer role and the use of silences in the group. Finally, we review the usefulness of an experiential approach in helping undergraduate students learn about group process, develop interpersonal skills, experience personal growth, and acquire group facilitation skills. Study limitations are also discussed.

Research funders should be more transparent: a plea for open applications

Transparency is increasingly becoming the new norm and modus operandi of the global research enterprise. In this mini-review, we summarize ongoing initiatives to increase transparency in science and funding in particular. Based on this, we make a plea for the next step in funders' compliance with the principles of Open Science, suggesting the adoption of open applications. Our proposed model includes a plea for the publication of all submitted grant applications; open sharing of review reports, argumentations for funding decisions and project evaluation reports; and the disclosure of reviewers' and decision committee members' identities. In line with previous calls for transparency and the available evidence about these measures' effectiveness, we argue that open applications could lead to more diverse collaboration, recognition of research ideas, fairer procedures for grant allocation, more research on funding practices and increased trust in the funding allocation process.

Deficiencies of Traditional Grading Systems and Recommendations for the Future

Objective. To review issues surrounding the use of grades in the educational process and provide evidence-based recommendations for how to redesign grading practices for optimal value.Findings. Traditional tiered grading systems (ie, A, B, C, etc) have historically been a major component of the formal educational process. The way grades are used and interpreted are typically based on some commonly held assumptions, including that they are accurate measures of learning, that they motivate students to learn, and that they provide feedback to learners. However, much of the research regarding grades indicates that flaws exist in these assumptions. Grades may not always accurately measure learning, they can have adverse effects on student motivation, and they are not a good form of feedback.Summary. The Academy should consider the evidence regarding the purpose, effects, and interpretation of grades in the educational process. Despite barriers and potential pushback, pharmacy educators should revise grading practices to be more accurate, interpretable, and beneficial to learner development.

The importance of internal and external features in recognizing faces that vary in familiarity and race

Familiar and unfamiliar faces are recognized in fundamentally different ways. One way in which recognition differs is in terms of the features that facilitate recognition: previous studies have shown that familiar face recognition depends more on internal facial features (i.e., eyes, nose and mouth), whereas unfamiliar face recognition depends more on external facial features (i.e., hair, ears and contour). However, very few studies have examined the recognition of faces that vary in both familiarity and race, and the reliance on different facial features, whilst also using faces that incorporate natural within-person variability. In the current study, we used an online version of the card sorting task to assess adults’ (n = 258) recognition of faces that varied in familiarity and race when presented with either the whole face, internal features only, or external features only. Adults better recognized familiar faces than unfamiliar faces in both the whole face and the internal features only conditions, but not in the external features only condition. Reasons why adults did not show an own-race advantage in recognition are discussed.

Support for learning under naturalistic conditions

Educational opportunities occur through naturalistic everyday life experiences (e.g., reading a newspaper, listening to a podcast, or visiting a museum). Research primarily examines learning under controlled conditions, such as in a classroom or laboratory. There is relatively little known about the extent to which adults extract semantic content, beyond factual recall, from naturalistic educational experiences. In the present work, we focused on virtual museum exhibits. The materials were sourced directly from an art history museum. The naturalistic nature of this work stems from the type of content used though an important component of naturalistic learning—motivational processes—was not measured. In each of three experiments, we assessed adult learners’ performance on tests of factual recall, inferential reasoning, and self-derivation through memory integration from naturalistic virtual museum exhibits. In anticipation of the potential challenge associated with learning outcomes under naturalistic conditions, we administered a yoked protocol under which participants had opportunities to engage in retrieval practice (Experiment 2a) or restudy (Experiment 2b) as explicit mechanisms of support for the three tests of learning. In all experiments, participants performed successfully on all three tests of learning; factual recall was the most accessible of the three learning outcomes. There was no difference in performance at the group level across experiments, but there was at the individual level, such that idea units generated during retrieval practice predicted learning outcomes, whereas restudy of those exact idea units did not. The current work provides novel insight into mechanisms underlying adult learning from naturalistic educational opportunities.

Beyond "study skills": a curriculum-embedded framework for metacognitive development in a college chemistry course

BACKGROUND

There is a critical need for evidence-based metacognition instruction models with an ease of implementation. Three issues involved in advancing the implementation and assessment of metacognitive interventions are: (i) the lack of an operational framework for the development of metacognition; (ii) metacognition instruction models that lack a focus on explicitly engaging students' self-perceptions; (iii) a lack of metacognitive interventions that are easy to implement and require minimal training. This study describes the development and implementation of a 10-week discussion-based module to promote metacognitive development as part of a general chemistry course at a community college. This curricular metacognition instruction model involved the explicit engagement of self-efficacy beliefs in addition to introducing metacognitive awareness and regulation through individual and group reflection. This approach involves a systematic framework which allowed students to confront their beliefs about their abilities, learn various task strategies, and practice these strategies along with their peers. This case study was designed to address the following: can explicit cognitive and metacognitive instruction and discussion serve as a catalyst for students to (1) build and adapt metacognitive knowledge about cognition, and (2) incorporate effective study strategies?.

RESULTS

Students' individual and collaborative reflections were analyzed using a thematic analysis. Written journal responses indicate that the module facilitated a shared discourse about cognition where metacognitive awareness was observed shifting from a tacit to explicit awareness. In addition, the framework facilitated the formation of support networks (cognitive and emotional) where students were observed exchanging cognitive strategies and encouraging one another to persevere through challenges.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that the metacognitive instruction model described here can serve as a mechanism to encourage student reflection on their beliefs and behaviors. Instructors looking to include metacognition instruction could use the framework presented as a template. The discussion-based module is embedded in the curriculum, delivered through the course management system, and has a low barrier to implementation.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40594-022-00376-6.

Relationships between Prediction Accuracy, Metacognitive Reflection, and Performance in Introductory Genetics Students

Cognitive scientists have previously shown that students' perceptions of their learning and performance on assessments often do not match reality. This process of self-assessing performance is a component of metacognition, which also includes the practice of thinking about one's knowledge and identifying and implementing strategies to improve understanding. We used a mixed-methods approach to investigate the relationship between students' perceptions of their performance through grade predictions, their metacognitive reflections after receiving their grades, and their actual performance during a semester-long introductory genetics course. We found that, as a group, students do not display better predictive accuracy nor more metacognitive reflections over the semester. However, those who shift from overpredicting to matching or underpredicting also show improved performance. Higher performers are overall more likely to answer reflection questions than lower-performing peers. Although high-performing students are usually more metacognitive in their reflections, an increase in a student's frequency of metacognitive responses over time does not necessarily predict a grade increase. We illustrate several example trends in student reflections and suggest possible next steps for helping students implement better metacognitive regulation.