Educational Publishing Research Articles

What can a journal editorial team do to strive for equity in health professions education publishing? Leading by example

What was the Educational Challenge? Representation gaps in medical education publishing are widely recognized and may be attributed to epistemic injustice, defined as ‘wrong done to someone in their capacity as a knower.’ Although peer review is meant to ensure ‘rigor,’ some quality assurance practices can inadvertently silence entire populations and impede understanding of a field’s foundational concepts. What was the Proposed Solution? To honor our journal’s commitment to equitable knowledge production, a diversity, equity, and inclusion working group at Teaching and Learning in Medicine (TLM) reimagined rigor to include striving for a ‘more equitable, diverse, and inclusive research system.’ How was the Proposed Solution Implemented? We implemented structural peer review reform at TLM by adapting Hogan et al.’s Dimensionality and R4P framework for health equity, prioritizing change in our communication with contributors. What Lessons Learned are Relevant to a Wider Audience? Since implementation, our journal has received feedback expressing appreciation for humanity and personal connection in our peer review, and we have observed increased publications from geographically marginalized authors. We believe our outcomes result from respecting marginalized authors’ authority to pursue their own interests, concerns, and successes with respect to knowledge production. What are the Next Steps? We believe our approach can be adopted by other peer-reviewed journals. We invite application and critique of our framework to advance community development in creating relevant, accessible, and equitable knowledge production for all people.

Black Women in Medical Education Publishing: Bibliometric and Testimonio Accounts Using Intersectionality Methodology.

Black women in academic medicine experience racial and gender discrimination, all while being tasked with improving a flawed system. Representation of Black women in medicine remains low, yet they bear the burden of fostering diversity and mentoring trainees, exacerbating their minority tax and emotional labor, and negatively impacting career progression. To complement qualitative accounts of Black women authors in the medical education literature with a quantitative account of their representation. We used statistical modeling to estimate the representation of Black women authors in medical education publishing as compared to other groups. An intersectional methodology employing bibliometric analysis and testimonio reflection. US-based authors of journal articles published in medical education journals between 2000 and 2020. Author race was determined using a probability-based algorithm incorporating US Census data, and author gender was ascribed using Social Security Administration records. We conducted two negative binomial generalized linear models by first and last author publications. Metadata for each article was retrieved from Web of Science and PubMed to include author names, country of institutional affiliation, and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). Results were contextualized via the "testimonio" account of a Black woman author. Of 21,945 unique authors, Black women (and other racially minoritized groups) published far fewer first and last author papers than white women and men. In addition, major MeSH terms used by Black women authors reveal little overlap with highly ranked medical education topics. The testimonio further narrated struggles with belonging and racial identity. This study revealed that Black women are underrepresented in medical education publishing. We believe that dismantling oppressive structures in the publishing ecosystem and the field is imperative for achieving equity. Additionally, further experiential accounts are needed to contextualize this quantitative account and understand underrepresentation in medical education publishing.

Empowering Educational Publishing through Exploration and Practice of Digital Intelligence

Empowering Educational Publishing through Exploration and Practice of Digital Intelligence

Open Access Publishing Metrics, Cost, and Impact in Health Professions Education Journals

Publishing in health professions education (HPE) journals is an integral component of academic discourse and career progression. Research in this field is shifting to an open access (OA) publishing model. To identify the characteristics and publishing models of HPE journals and explore potential associations between publication costs and journal metrics. This cross-sectional study was conducted between September 20, 2023, and February 14, 2024, using the World Bank purchasing power parity (PPP) index to analyze relative costs of article processing charges (APCs). Data on journal characteristics, impact metrics, APCs, and waiver or discount were extracted from the National Library of Medicine, Scimago, Scopus, journal websites, and email correspondence with editorial staff of journals. All HPE journals indexed in PubMed, written in or translated into English, and with HPE as a core component of their mission were included in the analysis. Two-year impact factor, H-index, cite score, Scientific Journal Ranking, and APC. Among the 51 journals included, 27 (53%) adopted OA-only and 24 (47%) adopted hybrid publishing models. The median (IQR) APC for all journals was $2820.00 ($928.00-$3300.00). Associations were observed between impact factor and APC (β coefficient, $386.84; 95% CI, $226.84-$546.84; P < .001) and between cite score and APC (β coefficient, $282.40; 95% CI, $148.12-$416.61; P < .001). Of 20 journal websites with information regarding fee waivers or discounts, 7 journals (35%) confirmed fee waiver or discount. The PPP index analysis of the top 39 countries publishing HPE research showed that the financial burden of meeting the median APC for publication was 1.94 to 10.26 times higher for authors from lower-income countries than for authors from the US. Results of this cross-sectional study suggest that adoption by HPE journals of an OA publishing model was high but access to APC waivers or discounts was limited. These factors create barriers to equitable OA practices, necessitating concerted efforts, such as increasing transparency of publishing costs, implementing economic impact analysis, expanding waivers to eligible authors, and applying holistic impact factor scoring.

Time to Publication in Medical Education Journals: An Analysis of Publication Timelines During COVID-19 (2019-2022).

COVID-19 changed scholarly publishing. Yet, its impact on medical education publishing is unstudied. Because journal articles and their corresponding publication timelines can influence academic success, the field needs updated publication timelines to set evidence-based expectations for academic productivity. This study attempts to answer the following research questions: did publication timelines significantly change around the time of COVID-19 and, if so, how? We conducted a bibliometric study; our sample included articles published between January 2018, and December 2022, that appeared in the Medical Education Journals List-24 (MEJ-24). We clustered articles into three time-based groups (pre-COVID, COVID-overlap, and COVID-endemic), and two subject-based groups (about COVID-19 and not about COVID-19). We downloaded each article's metadata from the National Library of Medicine and analyzed data using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and post-hoc tests to compare mean time differences across groups. Overall, time to publish averaged 300.8 days (SD = 200.8). One-way between-groups ANOVA showed significant differences between the three time-based groups F (2, 7473) = 2150.7, p < .001. The post-hoc comparisons indicated that COVID-overlap articles took significantly longer (n = 1470, M= 539; SD = 210.6) as compared to pre-COVID (n = 1281; M = 302; SD = 172.5) and COVID-endemic articles (n = 4725; M = 226; SD = 136.5). Notably, COVID-endemic articles were published in significantly less time than pre-pandemic articles, p < .001. Longer publication time was most pronounced for COVID-overlap articles. Publication timelines for COVID-endemic articles have shortened. Future research should explore how the shift in publication timelines has shaped medical education scholarship.

Describing the Landscape of Medical Education Preprints on MedRxiv: Current Trends and Future Recommendations.

A preprint is a version of a research manuscript posted to a preprint server prior to peer review. Preprints enable authors to quickly and openly share research, afford opportunities for expedient feedback, and enable immediate listing of research on grant and promotion applications. In medical education, most journals welcome preprints, which suggests that preprints play a role in the field's discourse. Yet, little is known about medical education preprints, including author characteristics, preprint use, and ultimate publication status. This study provides an overview of preprints in medical education to better understand their role in the field's discourse. The authors queried medRxiv, a preprint repository, to identify preprints categorized as "medical education" and downloaded related metadata. CrossRef was queried to gather information on preprints later published in journals. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Between 2019 and 2022, 204 preprints were classified in medRxiv as "medical education," with most deposited in 2021 (n = 76; 37.3%). On average, preprint full-texts were downloaded 1,875.2 times, and all were promoted on social media. Preprints were authored, on average, by 5.9 authors. Corresponding authors were based in 41 countries, with 45.6% in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Almost half (n = 101; 49.5%) became published articles in predominantly peer-reviewed journals. Preprints appeared in 65 peer-reviewed journals, with BMC Medical Education (n = 9; 8.9%) most represented. Medical education research is being deposited as preprints, which are promoted, heavily accessed, and subsequently published in peer-reviewed journals, including medical education journals. Considering the benefits of preprints and the slowness of medical education publishing, it is likely that preprint depositing will increase and preprints will be integrated into the field's discourse. The authors propose next steps to facilitate responsible and effective creation and use of preprints.

Mastering English Together: Twinkl Educational Publishing Training for Teachers and Young Learners at KB &amp; TK Al - Madani Malang

Mastering English Together: Twinkl Educational Publishing Training for Teachers and Young Learners at KB &amp; TK Al - Madani Malang

Activity Centred Signature Pedagogies for the Creation of Digital Educational Publications

In this paper, we draw together three sets of ideas to create a framework for understanding and improving the networked creation of digital educational artefacts. We combine ideas on learning networks and networked learning, activity-centred analysis and design (ACAD) and signature pedagogies. Focusing on establishing a framework for understanding the network practices, the participation of people from different professions and the nature of learning in doing, the paper explores the possibility of constructing a framework that can be customised to the needs of specific professions or of industry-specific multi-professional networks. The case on which we focus, and which we use to inform, illustrate and sharpen some of the argument, is that of digital educational publishing – specifically, the activity of the educational publishing company Systime. However, we see the framework as applicable to a much more extensive range of situations. Consequently, the paper contributes to wider theoretical and practical work on the creation of digital educational artefacts. It also contributes to thinking more deeply about assumptions and practices involved in professional knowledge-building networks: especially where participants develop what we describe as a ‘reflexive designerly disposition’, capable of improving what a network achieves and how it functions.

The Future of Open Access Publishing in International Higher Education

The Future of Open Access Publishing in International Higher Education

EdTechnica: a vision of an educational publishing community of practice that is accessible, flexible, and just

Open Educational Resources (OER) and Open Educational Practices (OEP) have the potential to transform and positively impact individuals, institutions, and society. As educators, we have a unique responsibility to explore opportunities and possibilities afforded by openness enabled by current technologies to reimagine and reshape current educational reality and provide a more hopeful and equitable future for all. EdTechnica is an openly licensed living encyclopedia that provides background information on central topics and theories in the field of educational technology. As an OER, EdTechnica extends the 5Rs of openness—retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute by also attending to the 3Rs of social justice—recognition, representation, and redistribution—bringing about a responsive product that reimagines what encyclopedias should be. Additionally, the governing board enacts principles of openness in its practice, striving for OEP in all its activities. This article explores how EdTechnica promotes knowledge creation and academic discourse by attending to key principles of openness in terms of ensuring accessibility, flexibility, justice, and sustainable generosity. Specific examples of OER/P in the EdTechnica context offer an insight into our practices and ambitions to improve the current educational landscape, illustrating what is possible at the intersection of justice, hope, and educational technology when we strive for openness and are guided by the values of sustainable generosity and sustainable improvement.

Revisiting Race, Ethnicity, and Disparities in Rheumatology Educational Materials: An Update Since 2020.

In 2020, one study by Strait and colleagues raised awareness that the clinical images in rheumatology educational materials underrepresent people with skin of color (P-SOC). Since then, publishers of rheumatology educational materials have focused on addressing this shortcoming. This study investigates the change in representation of P-SOC following the review of Strait et al. METHODS: We used the methods of the aforementioned study to collect images from commonly referenced rheumatology educational materials and categorized the skin tones within them as "light" or "dark." We calculated the proportional change in images depicting dark skin tones between 2020 and 2022 from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Image Library, the 10th edition of Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology, and New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) as well as between 2020 and 2024 from rheumatology articles within UpToDate. We compared results using one-sided Z-tests. Overall, the proportion of images depicting dark skin tones increased 40.6% (P < 0.0001). The 10th edition of Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology most significantly increased inclusion of P-SOC (90.1%; P = 0.0039), with ACR Image Library, UpToDate, and NEJM also enhancing representation (41.9%, P < 0.0001; 31.0%, P = 0.0083; 28.2%, P = 0.3046, respectively). This study assesses the progress of rheumatology educational materials toward equitable representation of P-SOC. It demonstrates that awareness coupled with focused efforts from educational publishers can enhance the proportion of images depicting dark skin tones, thereby enriching the quality of foundational knowledge relayed to rheumatology providers with the goal of improving health experiences and outcomes for P-SOC with rheumatic diseases.

Humanising Peer Review with Artificial Intelligence: Paradox or Panacea?

The emergence of artificial intelligence in the higher education publishing context has led to scholars seeking opportunities to leverage the new technological affordances offered by the tool. Yet, there have been questions emerging about the extent to which artificial intelligence should prompt scholars towards certain outcomes. In this commentary, we examine the need for human flourishing to sit at the forefront of decisions around academic publishing alongside the pursuit of fair and innovative knowledge creation and dissemination. We advocate an evidence-based position against artificial intelligence as a peer reviewer, recognising that parroting knowledge is insufficient to be critical and comprehensive in the review process. There are significant limitations to the current artificial intelligence tools from bias to current corpus limitations that restrict its usefulness as a gatekeeper of knowledge, a key role a reviewer takes on board. We offer suggestions for places where artificial intelligence tools may be quite useful and offer some future directions for artificial intelligence in publishing processes.

중국 초등 미술교육과 전통 미술 문화

In order to explore the teaching content of traditional art and culture in Chinese elementary art education, this research investigated the contents of 12 elementary school 『Fine Art』 textbooks from “People's Education Publishing House(人民敎育出版社).” The educational objectives of traditional art and culture presented in the art curriculum were aimed at promoting Chinese ethnic pride based on the love of excellent ethnic cultural heritage. Based on this, the results of the analysis of the art textbooks are as follows. Firstly, the total number of learning units in the 12 art textbooks is 230 units, and the total number of illustrations presented is 520. Among them, the number of artworks related to Chinese culture is 401, that is 77.1% of the total. And in terms of chronological classification, a significant number of 120 artworks was related to traditional Chinese art and culture before modern times, that is 29.7% of total. Secondly, as for the works related to traditional art and culture, 57.5% of the 120 works was included in the ‘appreciation and criticism’ learning area. Thirdly, the artistic fields to which the works belong to were quite diverse, starting with hieroglyphics, and including ceramics, sculpture, bronze, painting, crafts, architecture, gumbo, theatre, stamps, maps, and musical instruments. Fourthly, the main educational content through the works of each period is as follows: in the case of the Neolithic and Advanced Periods, the background and transformation process of the emergence of ceramic and bronze arts and the sculptural features and values of individual works were mentioned; Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in the case of the Qin(秦) Dynasty, the paintings and Buddha sculptures of the Donhuangseokgul in the Tang(唐) Dynasty, the ink-colored portraits of the Song(宋) Dynasty, the architectural arts of the 'Peking Palace' in the Ming(明) Dynasty, and the works related to ceramics and ink and light-colored painting in the Qing(淸) Dynasty, the meaning and value in terms of art history and sculpture were covered. Especially in the works of the Ming Dynasty, we can see that aesthetic issues were also mentioned.

Advice from the editor’s desk: an introductory guide to success in education publishing

PurposeThis study aims to investigate basic/core principles and practical tools behind successful manuscript writing for education journals. Drawing on the insights of journal editors and related literature, this paper seeks to clarify the craft of preparing quality manuscripts to meet the expectations of academic journals.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses an interpretivist framework by incorporating a qualitative analysis of the literature with the authors’ experiences to identify key principles and issues in academic publishing. These narratives provide an empirical basis for understanding the mechanics and essence of effective manuscript crafting. The study integrates theoretical knowledge with actionable strategies, focusing on identifying the objectives and processes of writing, determining common challenges and directing readers toward comprehensive resources for guidance in article writing.FindingsThis study reveals that manuscript rejections often transcend technical shortcomings. Issues that are central to nonacceptance include misalignment with a journal’s thematic focus, absence of a coherent and persuasive argument, methodological weaknesses and insufficient evidence underpinning the assertions. Successful publication depends not just on data presentation and adherence to submission norms but also on developing a narrative that enriches the prevailing scholarly discourse. Our findings advocate for manuscripts that strike an appropriate balance between lucidity and analytical rigor, avoid superfluous technical language and express a mix of assertiveness and scholarly modesty.Originality/valueAlthough there is literature on academic writing, very few recent articles have been uncovered that probe the intricacies of crafting education manuscripts and point to resources.

Predatory publishing in medical education: a rapid scoping review

BackgroundAcademic publishing is a cornerstone of scholarly communications, yet is unfortunately open to abuse, having given rise to ‘predatory publishers’– groups that employ aggressive marketing tactics, are deficient in methods and ethics, and bypass peer review. Preventing these predatory publishers from infiltrating scholarly activity is of high importance, and students must be trained in this area to increase awareness and reduce use. The scope of this issue in the context of medical students remains unknown, and therefore this sought to examine the breadth of the current literature base.MethodsA rapid scoping review was undertaken, adhering to adapted PRISMA guidelines. Six databases (ASSIA, EBSCO, Ovid, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) were systematically searched for content related to predatory publishing and medical students. Results were single-screened, facilitated by online reviewing software. Resultant data were narratively described, with common themes identified.ResultsAfter searching and screening, five studies were included, representing a total of 1338 students. Two predominant themes– understanding, and utilisation– of predatory publishers was identified. These themes revealed that medical students were broadly unaware of the issue of predatory publishing, and that a small number have already, or would consider, using their services.ConclusionThere remains a lack of understanding of the threat that predatory publishers pose amongst medical students. Future research and education in this domain will be required to focus on informing medical students on the issue, and the implication of engaging with predatory publishers.

Research, teaching and time: teacher practices and possibilities

Issues around the relationship between teachers and research have long been a topic of debate in the literature (Bartels, 2003; Borg, 2009, 2010; Erlam, 2008; Hall, 2023; Korthagen, 2007; Levin, 2013; Lightbown, 1985; Marsden &amp; Kasprowicz, 2017; McIntyre 2005; McKinley 2019; Medgyes, 2017; Nassaji, 2012). There is a relationship between research and educational practice but it is complex and nuanced. Teachers engage with research through teaching, using research, often indirectly, to inform their professional practice. This paper argues that an explanatory framework (Maton, 2014) that can account for this complexity is required to understand the relationship between research and teaching; knowledge from sites of knowledge production such as university research centres is recontextualised by state education departments and educational publishers before being incorporated into classroom discourse (Bernstein, 2000; Maton, 2014). The paper then argues that a teachers' professional life cycle (Huberman, 1989) must be considered to ensure any more direct engagement with research is likely to be of benefit. Finally, the paper argues that teachers as practitioner researchers presents a possible way of more closely linking research and educational practice.

SIMULATION GAME AS AN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF SPECIALISTS PUBLISHING AND PRINTING

The article deals with the peculiarities of using such an interactive educational technology as a simulation game in the educational process of a higher education institution. Approaches to defining the essence of this technology are generalized. It has been established that simulation games can be used as a pedagogical technology or one of the methods of active learning, in conducting social and psychological training, in solving production, social and psychological problems that a graduate may encounter in his or her professional activity. The classification of educational simulation games is presented. Their didactic potential is determined and possible options for building and structuring simulation games are revealed. The specifics of the use of simulation games in the professional training of bachelors of publishing and printing in higher education are considered. Their use will facilitate the rapid inclusion of students in the model of professional activity, allow them to take on different functional roles, identify the specifics of their characters' activities, interact in a simulated, but as close to real, production process, and most importantly, see and evaluate the final result of their work. The author's electronic resource with methodical instructions on the use of a simulation game. The experience of using the simulation game in the professional training of bachelors of publishing and printing is presented.

Teaching text structure in science education

Outcomes from a body of research on reading education stress the importance of text structure instruction and the integration of reading instruction in content learning in primary schools. We conducted an analysis of Dutch textbooks and workbooks of the seven most frequently used science teaching programs developed for grades 3-6 in order to find out to what extent these materials are appropriate for text structure instruction. The results show that the materials do offer opportunities for text structure instruction but are not suitable for a step-by-step implementation and practice of knowledge and skills related to text structure. The textbooks offer too few clear organized single-structured texts and not all text structures are sufficiently represented. Also, the programs differ strongly in text length, text segmentation and use of introductions. Illustrations and assignments hardly connect to the text structure. We finish the paper with recommendations for educational publishers.

‘Partners in education’: Primary educational publishers’ understanding of their role

The twenty-first century has seen the education ecosystem change drastically, with increased digitization of the classroom and more recently the global pandemic. These changes have been entwined with publishers’ own understanding of their role. Based on semi-structured interviews with ten industry professionals, this article aims to understand how primary educational publishers see their role and the future of the industry. The findings reveal a mission-driven sector operating in a complex environment, shaped by government policies and regulations, and the impact of technology, educational research, pedagogy and learning design. To support educators, publishers produce teaching resources and learning materials, interpret government regulation and curricula, research and develop expertise in learning design and pedagogical knowledge, research user and market needs, and provide professional development to educators. Despite these challenges and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the interviewees believed that primary educational publishing would continue to expand, innovate and support the educators of Australia in the future by producing a combination of print and digital resources.

교육 출판사의 효율성 측정 및 효율성 영향요인 분석

This study used parametric data development analysis (DEA) to estimate the contemporaneous efficiency of 23 educational publishers in Korea from 2018 to 2021. Moreover, we employed a two-stage bootstrapped truncated regression to identify the internal factors affecting the operating efficiencies of educational publishers. According to the DEA results, the technical efficiency (TE) of educational publishers has continued to decline over the past four years, and the average TE has decreased mainly due to scale inefficiency after the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. In addition, payment fees, rental fees, and transportation costs as strategic operating variables of educational publishers have a statistically significant effect on their efficiency. This study provides practical implications for improving the efficiency and promoting sustainable growth of publishers.