British Education Index Research Articles

Factors Influencing Young People’s STEM Career Aspirations and Career Choices: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) career aspirations and choices provide critical insights into students’ motivations and attitudes toward STEM careers. With the rapid evolution of technology and societal shifts following the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a pressing need to update our understanding of the factors influencing students’ STEM career aspirations and choices. This systematic review aims to identify the most influential factors reported in research on young people’s (11–19 and undergraduate) STEM career aspirations and choices over the past decade or so, as well as highlight prevailing trends in current empirical studies. Seven databases including Australia Education Index, British Education Index, ERIC, ProQuest, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched for publications between January 2009 and December 2022 in English. 159 papers were screened as eligible using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Literature Reviews (PRISMA) protocol and reviewed for general trends. A further 12 papers were screened for in-depth review which are career aspiration/choice factor studies that reflect students’ voices on STEM career aspirations. Self-motivation, social persuasion, self-efficacy, personal utility, and positive STEM experiences were among the identified influential factors. While previous determinants such as ease of occupation and peer pressure have reduced effects, future studies should focus on cultural, regional, and societal implications, as well as the intersectionality of these factors. Furthermore, research into social media, utility impact, and viewpoints on the changing nature of work and technological advancement is critical for guiding policies to encourage young people to enter STEM disciplines.

Constructivist instructional approaches: A systematic review of evaluation‐based evidence for effectiveness

AbstractConstructivist instructional approaches have gained significant popularity in education as educators seek to create more engaging and effective learning environments. However, the effectiveness of these approaches in promoting student learning remains a subject of debate. This systematic review aims to synthesise existing evaluation‐based research on the effectiveness of constructivist approaches in improving student learning outcomes compared to traditional instructional methods, and to identify specific empirically proven effective constructivist approaches. Using standard review methodology, we searched ERIC, Education Research Complete, British Education Index, Social Science Citation Index, and Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts as sources of quasi‐ or true‐experimental educational studies published in the last 10 years (2014–2023). Inclusion/exclusion criteria were based on the PICO (population, intervention, comparison, outcome) framework and the year and language of publications. A total of 1315 studies were identified. Studies were screened by two independent reviewers who also extracted the data and accessed the study quality and risk of bias using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool. Thirty‐two articles met the inclusion criteria. Content analysis was used to code, analyse and synthesise the texts. This review study identified seven broad instructional approaches with a wide range of specific implementation strategies, rooted in constructivist learning theory, that revealed significant improvements in the various domains of learning. In conclusion, there is sufficient empirical data to be able to state with certainty that these instructional approaches are proven alternatives to the traditional method. Implications for educators, curriculum planners and researchers are briefly discussed. Context and implicationsRationale for this study: Constructivist and process‐based learning approaches have been given more significance recently. Evidence‐informed practice requires practitioners and policy makers to integrate current best evidence with client context in order to provide meaningful and potentially effective services across a range of presenting problems. Systematic reviews are a crucial part of this process, providing practitioners and researchers with transparent, rigorous and informative syntheses of research in a given area. Hence, this systematic review is conducted with the purpose to identify empirically proven effective constructivist teaching‐learning approaches and implementation strategies that could be valuable input for curriculum planners and educators.Why the new findings matter: The findings from this systematic review are important in highlighting the most effective constructivist teaching‐learning approaches and showing important developments in the research area. As such, the findings can inform policy and practice for teacher education and professional development at national and international scales.Implications for educators, curriculum planners and researchers: Firstly, educators will benefit greatly by understanding the constructivist approach of teaching. By using the teaching‐learning strategies identified by this review study, educators can provide the necessary ground to increase students' motivation, academic achievement and academic vitality, as well as reduce their academic procrastination. Secondly, curriculum planners can incorporate these constructivist instructional strategies in curriculum planning and in the development and preparation of framework/guidelines for achievements of intended learning outcomes. Finally, the ideas and experiences in the examined articles would inspire educational researchers to explore further the potential of constructivist instructional methods focusing on unexplored areas identified and discussed by this review.

Self‐directed learning—a framework for inclusion ‘In’ and ‘Through’ Education – A systematic review

AbstractThere is a dearth of knowledge regarding how self‐directed learning and inclusion relate as concepts. In this paper, we explore how self‐directed learning and inclusion are discussed together in the educational literature. With the aim of advancing our conceptual and theoretical understanding in this regard, we present the findings of a systematic review that critically explores the relevant literature on self‐directed learning and inclusion. We included peer‐reviewed texts with an explicit focus on both inclusion and self‐directed learning in any educational phase. There were no restrictions on date of publication or methodology adopted. We searched five databases in July 2023: British Education Index, Education Research Complete, ERIC, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, Australian Education Index, and Web of Science. We located 19 studies published in the past 15 years—8 studies concerned childhood education settings and 11 studies were written in the context of adult education, with the majority from higher education. We analysed the texts using thematic analysis and key findings were that: (1) self‐directed learning can be used as a framework to promote both inclusion ‘in’ education (as in pedagogical methods and strategies) and ‘through’ education (as in educational products and outcomes); and (2) engaging with self‐directed learning has the potential to further inclusion and social justice aims in education. However, these findings can only be interpreted by taking into consideration the tensions associated with inclusion that were rarely acknowledged in the included studies. Context and implicationsRationale for this study: To date there is limited literature on how self‐directed learning and inclusion relate to each other.Why the new findings matter: Our findings suggest that the connections between self‐directed learning and inclusion are not unproblematic, which reflects the complexities of inclusion.Implications for teachers and researchers: Key insights gained through this process include that (1) self‐directed learning can be used as a framework to promote both inclusion ‘in’ education (as in pedagogical methods and strategies) and ‘through’ education (as in educational products and outcomes); and (2) engaging with self‐directed learning has the potential to further inclusion and social justice aims in education. However, it is essential to consider that the majority of studies reviewed in this present work were small‐scale and cross‐sectional in nature. Therefore, this field remains an important open door for further research.

A Systematic Review of Application of Machine Learning in Curriculum Design Among Higher Education

Machine learning has become an increasingly popular area of research in the field of education, with potential applications in various aspects of higher education curriculum design. This study aims to review the current applications of AI in the curriculum design of higher education. We conducted an initial search for articles on the application of machine learning in curriculum design in higher education. This involved searching three core educational databases, including the Educational Research Resources Information Centre (ERIC), the British Education Index (BEI), and Education Research Complete, to identify relevant literature. Subsequently, this study performed network analysis on the included literature to gain a deeper understanding of the common themes and topics within the field. The results showed a growing trend in publishing research on the application of machine learning within the educational domain. Our review pinpointed merely 11 publications specifically targeting the application of machine learning in higher education course design, with only three being peer-reviewed articles. Through the word cloud visualization, we discerned the most prominent keywords to be AI, foreign countries, pedagogy, online courses, e-learning, and course design. Collectively, these keywords underscore the significance of AI in molding the educational landscape, as well as the expanding tendency to incorporate AI technologies into online and technology-enhanced learning experiences. Although there is a significant amount of research on the application of machine learning in education, the literature on its specific use in higher education course design still needs to be expanded. Our review identified only a small number of studies that directly focused on this topic, and among them. The network analysis generated from the included literature highlights important themes related to student learning and performance and the use of models and algorithms. However, there is still a need for further research in this area to fully understand the potential of machine learning in higher education course design. This study would contribute literature in this specific field. The review can update teacher’s awareness of using machine learning in teaching practice. Additionally, it implies more and more researchers conduct related research in this area. Future studies should consider the limitations of the existing literature and explore new approaches to incorporate machine learning into curriculum design to improve student learning outcomes.

International medical graduates' experiences of clinical competency assessment in postgraduate and licensing examinations: A scoping review protocol.

An international medical graduate (IMG) is a doctor who has received their basic medical qualification from a medical school located in a different country from that in which they practice or intend to practice. IMGs are known to face difficulties in their working lives, including differential attainment in assessment. The objective of this review is to map key concepts and types of evidence in academic and gray literature relating to international medical graduates' experiences of clinical competency assessment and to identify knowledge gaps on this topic by systematically searching, selecting, and synthesizing existing knowledge. All studies will relate to IMGs. The concept of interest will be IMGs' experiences of assessment. The context will be postgraduate, licensing or credentialing medical assessments of clinical competence. This review will be conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews. Seven electronic databases will be searched for literature published between 2009 and 2024: the Australian Education Index, British Education Index, ERIC, PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and SocINDEX. Gray literature will be searched using Google, Google Scholar, and published reports from postgraduate training bodies and medical licensing organizations. Documents will be independently screened, selected, and extracted by two researchers using a piloted data-extraction tool. Data will be analyzed and presented in tables and in a narrative format. Trial resgistration: Scoping review registration: Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/8gdm7.

A Systematic Literature Review of Teaching Employability: A focus on soft skills

Employability skills are important to be successful in any job in the job market. Colleges and universities should focus on teaching these skills to students to prepare them for the world of work. There are an abundance of studies that have highlighted the skills gap. This paper aims to bring together the literature to review how these skills are best taught to students. Five Databases - SocIndex, Education Resources Information Centre, British Education Index, Education Abstracts, and Education Research Complete - were thoroughly reviewed. Papers on teaching, training or learning of soft, transferable, employability, life, leadership or management skills from the years 2015-2023 were gathered. Results showed that certain classroom activities and games can be used to teach certain skills to the students. Part-time or full-time employment, internships and volunteer work also lead to development of skills such as leadership, communication, and social skills. Higher educational institutions can hence employ the pedagogical methods and approaches mentioned in these studies to teach employability skills to students.

Competencies and learning outcomes for healthcare professionals in climate change and sustainability: A protocol for a scoping review

Rationale The planetary crisis is a serious threat to human health. Healthcare professionals need to be trained to adapt to and mitigate against this crisis. Competencies, curricular frameworks and learning outcomes relating to climate change and sustainability (CC&S) have been proposed for healthcare professionals. A synthesis of these competencies, learning outcomes and frameworks is necessary to identify commonalities and differences, understand the process of their development and highlight areas for future development. Objective The objective of this scoping review is to identify and synthesise the evidence on competencies, curricular frameworks and learning outcomes for healthcare professionals in climate change and sustainability. Inclusion criteria Sources relating to healthcare professionals and healthcare students, describing competencies, curricular frameworks and learning outcomes in CC&S, will be included. Sources in all healthcare contexts will be included. Sources in the English language, published from 2014 to June 2024 will be considered for inclusion. Methods The review will be conducted in line with the Joanna Briggs Institute guidance for scoping reviews. The following electronic databases will be searched: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SocINDEX, Academic Search Complete, Business Source Complete, British Education Index, Australian Education Index, Scopus and ERIC. A search of the grey literature will also be conducted. Two reviewers will independently screen the titles and abstracts and full texts for eligibility. Data extraction will be conducted independently by two reviewers. A narrative summary and tables will be presented. Key stakeholders will be consulted throughout the review. Discussion This review will summarise the range of competencies, curricular frameworks and learning outcomes proposed internationally for various healthcare professionals. The findings will be used to inform core competencies for all healthcare professions in CC&S, in addition to highlighting gaps in the literature and areas for future development. The findings will be disseminated at conferences and in a peer-reviewed publication. Registration This protocol was registered on 31st July 2024 on the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/vnx2g).

The Impact of Rape Myth Education on Jury Decision-Making: A Systematic Review.

A systematic review of research exploring the impact of providing rape myth countering information to mock-jurors was conducted. The primary aim of the review was to inform the development of an educational intervention for jurors to reduce potential bias in their decision-making based on belief in prevalent rape myths. In total, the following 12 databases were searched: British Education Index, CINAHL, Child Development and Adolescent Studies, Criminal Justice Abstracts, Educational Administration Abstracts, ERIC, MEDLINE, PsycArticles, PsycInfo, PubMed, Scopus, and Social Care Online. The databases were filtered to return peer-reviewed publications, written in English, and published between 1980 and 2023. The search returned 6,119 potential articles. After duplicates were removed, the 3,202 remaining publications were screened. Only studies that presented rape myth countering information to participants within a mock-juror paradigm were included. Studies that did not compare an information condition to a no-information control condition were excluded, as were those which concerned male rape myths, given the focus on female rape myth beliefs in this review. Eight studies were reviewed and were critically appraised according to validity criteria utilized by Dinos et al. Some evidence emerged to suggest that the provision of judicial directions, expert witness testimony, and complainant statements regarding rape myths can impact upon jury decision-making although the findings were mixed overall. Study limitations regarding internal and external validity were frequently present. Recommendations regarding future research questions and methods are advanced, including those that can inform the development of an effective intervention for jurors.

What types of objective measures have been used to assess core ADHD symptoms in children and young people in naturalistic settings? A scoping review

ObjectivesWe described the range and types of objective measures of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and young people (CYP) reported in research that can be applied in naturalistic settings.DesignScoping review...

The role of emotions in academic performance of undergraduate medical students: a narrative review

BackgroundThis paper is devoted to a narrative review of the literature on emotions and academic performance in medicine. The review aims to examine the role emotions play in the academic performance of undergraduate medical students.MethodsEight electronic databases were used to search the literature from 2013 to 2023, including Academic Search Ultimate, British Education Index, CINAHL, Education , ERIC, Medline, APA Psych Articles and APA Psych Info. Using specific keywords and terms in the databases, 3,285,208 articles were found. After applying the predefined exclusion and inclusion criteria to include only medical students and academic performance as an outcome, 45 articles remained, and two reviewers assessed the quality of the retrieved literature; 17 articles were selected for the narrative synthesis.ResultThe findings indicate that depression and anxiety are the most frequently reported variables in the reviewed literature, and they have negative and positive impacts on the academic performance of medical students. The included literature also reported that a high number of medical students experienced test anxiety during their study, which affected their academic performance. Positive emotions lead to positive academic outcomes and vice versa. However, Feelings of shame did not have any effect on the academic performance of medical students.DiscussionThe review suggests a significant relationship between emotions and academic performance among undergraduate medical students. While the evidence may not establish causation, it underscores the importance of considering emotional factors in understanding student performance. However, reliance on cross-sectional studies and self-reported data may introduce recall bias. Future research should concentrate on developing anxiety reduction strategies and enhancing mental well-being to improve academic performance.

What difficulties do children learning English in addition to another language experience with English oral language? A systematic review

ABSTRACT Within the majority of English-speaking settings, children learning English as an additional language (CLEAL) underperform academically relative to their monolingual, English-speaking peers. This systematic review (preregistration: https://archive.org/details/osf-registrations-zgmha-v1) identifies the elements of the English oral language where these children experience difficulty. We focused on research measuring an English oral language outcome for CLEAL between the ages of 3 and 7 and their age-matched, monolingual English-speaking peers. We searched PsycINFO, Web of Science, British Education Index and Linguistics and Language Behaviour s, for studies published between 2015 and 2024, written in English. Of the 2125 records identified, 20 were eligible for inclusion, with a low-to-moderate risk of bias. Overall, our target group performed significantly worse in tests of English receptive and expressive vocabulary, syntactic knowledge, listening comprehension, embedding, collocational knowledge and areas of narrative skill and phonological production. However, these children were comparable with their peers in other areas of narrative skill, lexical and pragmatic understanding, elements of morphological production and areas of phonological production and processing. Overall, while the picture is mixed, highlighting the need for further study of oral English in CLEAL, this review strengthens existing arguments for vocabulary and syntax acquisition as appropriate targets for intervention.

The theoretical and evidence‐based components of whole school approaches: An international scoping review

AbstractThe whole school approach (WSA) is often used in schools as a means of transformative change across many areas and involves many stakeholders. Many of the approaches used in WSAs are underpinned by psychological, social and educational theories. Although many of these approaches focus on vulnerable groups such as bullied and excluded children, relatively few of these approaches aim to support children with special educational needs (SEN). This specific vulnerable group includes children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, autism spectrum disorders, among many others. A rigorous, theory‐driven approach to supporting such children in schools is essential in ensuring positive academic and developmental outcomes for such students. Therefore, a scoping review was undertaken to explore the current literature on the use of WSAs, their theoretical and evidence‐based components as well as key areas in which they are utilised and how they are evaluated. After searching in seven (EBSCOhost, ERIC, British Education Index, Open Dissertation Search, PsycINFO, Medline Ovid, Child Development and Adolescent Studies) databases and completing a rigorous screening process, 21 papers were included in the review. Recommendations for further research involving the development and implementation of a WSA to support children with special educational needs are made, with emphasis placed on the importance of a clear theoretical underpinning, interdependent components, clear outcome measures and co‐production.

Associations between total physical activity levels and academic performance in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Physical activity has been associated with positive health-related outcomes. Physical inactivity, conversely, has been associated with several negative health outcomes. One topic that has been consistently examined is the relationship between physical activity and academic performance in children; however, studies that involve university-level students have not been aggregated to date. It is therefore the aim of this systematic review to examine the relationship between physical activity and academic performance in university-level students. This systematic review was conducted in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and included any study published until September 2023 that examined associations between physical activity and any measure of academic performance. SPORTDiscus, ERIC, the British Education Index, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and PubMed were searched. A random effects meta-analysis was also undertaken, and risk bias was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. After screening, 36 studies were included, with six studies being included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis found a significant association between physical activity (high versus low) and academic performance (high versus low performers) (odds ratio = 3.04; 95% CI = 1.84-5.02; P ≤ 0.001; I2 = 49.62). These results, however, were deemed to be of low credibility. The narrative analysis yielded mixed results, with 50% of studies reporting positive associations and the remaining studies reporting no significant associations. This trend did not differ depending on the subjective or objective measurement of physical activity. Although this review found meta-analytic significant associations between physical activity and academic performance, these results should be treated with caution, as the remaining studies yielded mixed results. Future studies should aim to focus on objective measurements of physical activity where possible to further explore this potential relationship.

A systematic evidence synthesis of disability and inclusive pedagogy in initial teacher training in English as a Foreign Language

A systematic evidence synthesis of disability and inclusive pedagogy in initial teacher training in English as a Foreign Language

Changes in medical student attendance and its impact on student educational outcomes: a systematic review protocol

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on medical education, with many institutions shifting to online learning to ensure the safety of students and staff. However, there has been...

Physical activity interventions in European primary schools: a scoping review to create a framework for the design of tailored interventions in European countries.

Schools provide a unique environment to facilitate physical activity for children. However, many school-based physical activity interventions have not been effective. We propose a new approach, which allows schools to tailor interventions to their specific context. This scoping review aimed to identify intervention components from previous school-based physical activity interventions to form the basis of a tailored approach in a European setting. Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines for conducting scoping reviews were followed. European school-based intervention studies aimed at increasing physical activity in children aged 7-11 years published in English since 2015 were included. Databases searched were Ovid Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science Social Sciences Citation Index, ERIC and British Education Index. Data was extracted on intervention components, context-related factors (geographical location, school size, child socioeconomic status and ethnicity), feasibility, acceptability and cost-effectiveness. A data-driven framework was developed to summarize the identified intervention components. 79 articles were included, constituting 45 intervention studies. We identified 177 intervention components, which were synthesized into a framework of 60 intervention component types across 11 activity opportunities: six within the school day, three within the extended school day and two within the wider school environment. Interventions most frequently targeted physical education (21%), active and outdoor learning (16%), active breaks (15%), and school-level environmewnt (12%). Of the intervention components, 41% were delivered by school staff, 31% by the research team, and 24% by external organizations. Only 19% of intervention studies reported geographical location and only 10% reported school size. Participant ethnicity and socioeconomic information was reported by 15% and 25%, respectively. Intervention acceptability was reported in 51% of studies, feasibility in 49%, and cost effectiveness in 2%. This review offers a first step in developing a future framework to help schools to develop context-specific, tailored interventions. However, there was a lack of reporting of contextual factors within the included studies, making it difficult to understand the role of context. Future research should seek to measure and report contextual factors, and to better understand the important aspects of context within school-based physical activity.

Application of behavioural theories, models, and frameworks in pharmacy practice research based on published evidence: a scoping review.

Pharmacy practice research often focuses on the design, implementation and evaluation of pharmacy services and interventions. The use of behavioural theory in intervention research allows understanding of interventions' mechanisms of action and are more likely to result in effective and sustained interventions. To collate, summarise and categorise the reported behavioural frameworks, models and theories used in pharmacy practice research. PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Science and EBSCO (CINAHL PLUS, British Education index, ERIC) were systematically searched to capture all pharmacy practice articles that had reported the use of behavioural frameworks, theories, or models since inception of the database. Results were filtered to include articles published in English in pharmacy practice journals. Full-text screening and data extraction were independently performed by two reviewers. A narrative synthesis of the data was adopted. Studies were reviewed for alignment to the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) framework to identify in which phase(s) of the research that the theory/model/framework had been employed. Fifty articles met the inclusion criteria; a trend indicating an increasing frequency of behavioural theory/frameworks/models within pharmacy practice research was identified; the most frequently reported were Theory of Planned Behaviour and Theoretical Domains Framework. Few studies provided explicit and comprehensive justification for adopting a specific theory/model/framework and description of how it underpinned the research was lacking. The majority were investigations exploring determinants of behaviours, or facilitators and barriers to implementing or delivering a wide range of pharmacy services and initiatives within a variety of clinical settings (aligned to Phase 1 UK MRC framework). This review serves as a useful resource for future researchers to inform their investigations. Greater emphasis to adopt a systematic approach in the reporting of the use of behavioural theories/models/frameworks will benefit pharmacy practice research and will support researchers in utilizing behavioural theories/models/framework in aspects of pharmacy practice research beyond intervention development.

Training, experience, and perceptions of chest tube insertion by higher speciality trainees: implications for training, patient safety, and service delivery

BackgroundSeldinger Chest Tube Insertion (CTI) is a high acuity low occurrence procedure and remains a core capability for UK physician higher speciality trainee’s (HST). A multitude of factors have emerged which may affect the opportunity of generalists to perform CTI. In view of which, this paper sought to establish the current experiences, attitudes, training, and knowledge of medical HST performing Seldinger CTI in acute care hospitals in the Peninsula deanery.MethodsA Scoping review was performed to establish the UK medical HST experience of adult seldinger CTI. Synonymous terms for CTI training were searched across Cochrane, ERIC, Pubmed and British education index databases. Following which, a regional survey was constructed and completed by HST and pleural consultants from five hospitals within the Peninsula deanery between April–July 2022. Data collected included participants demographics, attitudes, training, experience, and clinical knowledge. Outcomes were collated and comparisons made across groups using SPSS. A p-value of < 0.05 was defined as significant.ResultsThe scoping review returned six papers. Salient findings included low self-reported procedural confidence levels, poor interventional selection for patient cases, inadequate site selection for CTI and 1 paper reported only 25% of respondents able to achieve 5–10 CTI annually. However, all papers were limited by including grades other than HST in their responses.The regional survey was completed by 87 HST (12 respiratory, 63 non-respiratory medical HST and 12 intensivists/anaesthetists HST). An additional seven questionnaires were completed by pleural consultants. Respiratory HSTs performed significantly more Seldinger CTI than general and ICM/anaesthetic registrars (p < 0.05). The percentage of HST able to achieve a self-imposed annual CTI number were 81.8, 12.9 and 41.7% respectively. Self-reported transthoracic ultrasound competence was 100, 8 and 58% respectively (p < 0.001). The approach to clinical management significantly differed with national guidance with pleural consultants showing an agreement of 89%, respiratory HST 75%, general HST 52% and ICM/anaesthetic HST 54% (p = 0.002).ConclusionCompared to respiratory trainees, non-respiratory trainees perform lower numbers of Seldinger CTI, with lower confidence levels, limited knowledge, and a reduced perceived relevance of the skill set. This represents a significant training and service challenge, with notable patient safety implications.

An International Scoping Review of Empirical Research in Relation to the Recruitment and Assessment of LGBTQ+ Communities in the Adoption Process

Objectives. The goal of this review is to identify the experiences of the adoption assessment process for LGBTQ + adoptive parents. The intention is to highlight the scope of current literature, identify any research gaps, and from these, make recommendations for policy, practice, and research. Design. A scoping review. Methods. Social Policy and Practice, Medline, PsychINFO, ASSIA, British Education Index, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, Scopus, Social Services Abstracts, and Google Scholar databases were searched. Articles were screened at the title and abstract level and at full text by two reviewers. The PAGER framework for scoping reviews was utilised. Results. A total of 413 articles were screened at the title and abstract level, of which 74 were also assessed at full text for eligibility. The 16 studies identified for inclusion originated from 6 different countries, with the most prevalent being the United States (10). Conclusions. Adoption processes are heterocentric which creates difficulty for LGBTQ + people in navigating them effectively. Examples of inclusive practice are evident in the literature. Process change and inclusion need to occur at organizational and policy levels rather than being the sole responsibility of social care practitioners. Future research is needed with underrepresented groups within the LGBTQ + community.

Social media in undergraduate teaching and learning: A scoping review protocol.

To conduct a scoping review that systematically examines the body of research on social media in undergraduate teaching and learning in order to identify key issues, trends, gaps, and needs. Our objectives include determining what methods have been commonly used to study social media in undergraduate teaching and learning, and to synthesise insights from published research findings within the fields of higher education, educational technology, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. The use of social media technologies in post-secondary environments has been increasing over time, and especially following the shift to remote teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, this growth has continued. This review addresses a need to analyse and understand the body of research on the use of social media across undergraduate contexts for teaching and learning. This scoping review includes peer-reviewed journal articles on social media in an undergraduate teaching or learning context published at any time, in English. In addition to including concepts and terms related to social media broadly, based on global social media usage, we include within our search the most commonly used social media platforms. We excluded items from the grey literature (such as reports, dissertations, and theses), and studies that focus on groups outside of the undergraduate population of interest (e.g., in elementary, secondary, or graduate settings, etc.). Systematic searching will be conducted in relevant subject and multidisciplinary databases: Education Database, Education Research Complete, ERIC, British Education Index, Australian Education Index, Academic Search Complete, and Scopus. Records will be deduplicated and screened using Covidence software, with each record independently reviewed by two researchers in both rounds, screening titles and abstracts in the first round, and full-text of articles in the second. Researchers will meet to discuss discrepancies and make decisions using a consensus model, and a third researcher will be independently tasked with resolving any conflicts. Data extraction will also use two independent researchers to review each article.