Formal Instruction Research Articles

Assessing the psychometric properties of the intrinsic motivation inventory in blended learning environments

This study investigates the validity and reliability of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) in the context of blended learning. In the digital age, the fusion of online components with traditional classroom instruction has become integral to modern pedagogy, giving rise to blended learning—a flexible approach accommodating diverse learning needs. In such multifaceted environments, intrinsic motivation emerges as pivotal for sustaining student engagement, bridging the gap between in-person and online learning components. Utilizing a quasi-experimental quantitative research design, the research focuses on first-year university students enrolled in a blended learning economics course. Thorough statistical analysis affirms the IMI's effectiveness in accurately measuring intrinsic motivation levels within the diverse framework of blended learning. The findings not only validate the IMI as a tool for assessing intrinsic motivation but also underscore its importance for educators. Understanding students' intrinsic motivation is essential for tailoring instructional strategies, identifying at-risk students, and proactively preventing potential dropouts in blended learning environments. The validation of the IMI enhances the accuracy of assessments, interventions, and program evaluations, ultimately contributing to the improvement of education quality for students engaged in the integrated format of traditional and online instruction.

The inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus correlates with early precursors of mathematics and reading before the start of formal schooling

Diffusion-weighted imaging studies in preschoolers have almost exclusively been done in the field of reading. As a result, virtually nothing is known about white matter tracts associated with individual differences in mathematics at this age. Studying the preschoolers' brain is crucial because it allows us to identify individual differences in brain anatomy without influences of formal mathematics and reading instruction. To fill this gap, we investigated for the first time before the start of formal school entry the associations between white matter tracts and precursors of mathematics and reading simultaneously. We also investigated whether these associations were specific to mathematics and to reading, or not. We focused on four bilateral white matter tracts (arcuate fasciculus (direct, anterior), inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus), which have been previously correlated with mathematical performance in older children and with reading performance in children of a similar age as the current study. Participants were 56 5-year-old children (Mage = 67 months; SD = 1.8), none of which received formal instruction. Our results showed an association between the bilateral inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus and precursors of mathematics (numerical ordering, numeral knowledge) and reading (phonological awareness, letter knowledge). Follow-up regression analyses revealed that the associations found with the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus were neither specific to mathematics nor specific to reading. These findings suggest that, already before the start of formal schooling, the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus might be related to the neural overlap between mathematics and reading. This overlap potentially reflects one of their many shared mechanisms, such as the reliance on phonological codes or the processing of visual symbols, and these mechanisms should be exploited in future studies.

Interventions to support fellowship application success among predoctoral physician-scientists.

A critical element of physician-scientist training is the development and practice of core competencies that promote success in research careers. The ability to develop compelling training and research proposals is one such foundational skill. The NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) individual fellowship for dual-degree students (F30, F31, or F31-Diversity) creates an ideal opportunity to provide formal instruction in grant-writing skills to physician-scientists early in training. In the guided process of preparing a predoctoral fellowship application, students learn to formulate clear short- and long-term research and training goals; construct a comprehensive, well-reasoned, and rigorous proposal; become familiar with funding agency priorities; and gain strategic insights into the peer review system. Beyond building scientific writing skills, the application process for an NRSA F30 or F31 is an opportunity for trainees to strengthen mentor-mentee relationships, identify learning opportunities key to their scientific development, and build effective research and mentoring teams. These skills also apply to developing future postdoctoral mentored K applications or faculty research program grants. Here, we outline key features of the structured proposal development training developed for students in the Yale MD-PhD Program and review outcomes associated with its implementation.

Classic and modern models of self-regulated learning: integrative and componential analysis.

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is considered a construct of great heuristic value and has attracted the attention of numerous researchers and inspired influential theoretical models. The objective of the present study was to provide an up-to-date, comparative and integrated description of the theoretical models of SRL used in current empirical research. For this purpose, we conducted a critical review of the scientific literature referring explicitly to any SRL model and we described, compared and integrated the processes and personal and situational dimensions considered in each model. The models have clearly evolved from focusing on cold self-regulation, conscious activity and individual functioning, to emphasising hot self-regulation and considering implicit activity and interindividual functioning. Among empirical research lines based on the most recent models, the following stand out: detailed analysis of SRL during its progress, the manifestation of SRL in diverse instructional formats and the role of affective/motivational self-regulation.

Human anatomy curriculum reform for undergraduate nursing students: An exploratory study.

This study aims to cultivate students' independent learning capacity, promote the interdisciplinary integration of "nursing + anatomy," and establish a curriculum system to enhance applied nursing abilities based on project-based teaching reform of everyday clinical nursing operations. A total of 151 second-year (class of 2021) undergraduate nursing students at a Chinese university were selected for this study. By adjusting the curriculum, reconstructing the teaching contents, employing the "hybrid + flip" teaching method based on BOPPPS (bridge-in, outcomes, preassessment, participatory learning, post-evaluation, summary), and implementing a teaching system based on the "three re-three linkage," a Human Anatomy curriculum with a focus on basic anatomical knowledge was developed and connected with nursing clinical operation practice. The restructuring of the course content received unanimous recognition from both the teaching staff and the students. Notably, students in the class of 2021 achieved significantly higher grades than did students in the class of 2020, who received traditional face-to-face instruction (p < 0.01). These results indicate enhanced clinical application skills among the former group of students. following the implementation of instructional reforms during one semester, students exhibited notable improvements in motivation, program implementation, self-management, and interpersonal communication. A statistically significant increase in overall scores for self-directed learning capacities over the preinstructional period was observed (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the findings of the student satisfaction surveys reflected highly favorable perceptions of the enriched instructional format, high levels of course engagement, frequent faculty-student interactions, and augmented overall competence. The practical implementation of the reform in the context of a Human Anatomy course for undergraduate nursing students led to significant positive outcomes, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Students' clinical application abilities and self-directed learning capacities notably improved, while overall satisfaction with the course remained high.

NeuroLab 2.0: An Alternative Storyline Design Approach for Translating a Research-Based Summer Experience into an Advanced STEM+M Curriculum Unit that Supports Three-Dimensional Teaching and Learning in the Classroom.

In this case study, we describe an alternative storyline design approach that we adopted to translate an informal, out-of-school summer science experience with a strong emphasis on developmental neuroscience and data literacy into a more inclusive, replicable, and scalable experience for formal high school science instruction. Combining elements of problem- and project-based learning, a storyline is a curriculum model that engages students in the application of investigative science and engineering practices to incrementally build conceptual models that explain an observable (anchoring) phenomenon. Published reports on the storyline design process describe procedures and tools that are well suited to the creation of novel instructional units. However, these design methods are difficult to apply to projects aimed at translating pre-existing science experiences and resources into classroom storyline units. In this descriptive case study, we discuss a series of alternative design procedures that we utilized to achieve this adaptation. Our overarching project goal was to create the resources necessary to engage high school students in the construction of a multidimensional explanatory model for an unusual movement disorder that assimilates converging lines of behavioral, neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, molecular genetic, developmental, and cellular data. The methods described in this case study establish a design template for other biomedical scientists who are interested in adopting a storyline approach to bring aspects of their work or educational projects into science classrooms and into closer alignment with a new vision for science teaching and learning articulated in the National Research Council's A Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards.

Exploring autonomy support and learning preference in higher education: introducing a flexible and personalized learning environment with technology

Learner autonomy is particularly important in higher education, where students are fully responsible for their own learning. Despite this, there is a lack of research on aspects of autonomy support in higher education compared with that of primary and secondary education. To address this gap, this study explored autonomy support and learning preference in higher education, introducing a flexible and individualized learning environment with technology after the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was conducted among 849 Japanese university students to gather their perceptions about autonomous support, learning preferences (face-to-face or distance), use of learning strategies, and academic performance (grade point average). Correlations were identified between certain variables: for example, perceived autonomy support, class format preference, and grade point average. The scores of different scales were compared among the subject groups. Autonomy support provided by instructors included explaining the lesson’s outline to students. A few teachers provided opportunities for students to select learning methods, teaching materials, and assignment content; yet, few instructors seemed to truly understand students’ learning needs. Although many participants took face-to-face courses, students’ learning preferences were evenly split between face-to-face and distance learning courses. Students who strongly preferred face-to-face learning performed well regardless of instructional format. Students with a little preference for distance education performed well, especially in distance education courses. Students with no preference performed the worst. This study suggests that a learning environment that provides students with options to suit their diverse learning preferences is beneficial and that introducing “hybrid-flexible” courses and feedback for students’ learning strategies has the potential to promote learner autonomy in higher education.

Hematology and Oncology Fellow Education About Sexual and Reproductive Health: A Survey of Program Directors in the United States.

Clinical oncology guidelines recommend addressing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) concerns in routine cancer care. However, limited training often hinders clinicians' ability to do so effectively. The objective of this study was to understand the state of current fellowship education on SRH (ie, sexual health, safe sex practices, and fertility) through conducting a national survey of US hematology/oncology fellowship program directors (PDs). A survey was sent to all PDs of adult hematology/oncology fellowship programs in the United States via online link. PDs who did not complete the survey were sent up to four follow-up emails and a paper mailing. Descriptive statistics and McNemar tests were conducted. One hundred-fourteen PDs responded (65%). Fewer programs offered formal instruction on sexual health (49%) and safe sex practices (37%) compared with fertility (75%). Informal training in SRH relied heavily on direct clinical experience (73%-78% of programs), with other methods (eg, case-based approaches, webinars, and journal clubs) being less common. Lack of experts to provide instruction was the most commonly cited barrier to offering training in SRH, endorsed by 74% for sexual health, 68% for safe sex practices, and 54% for fertility; difficulty finding space within the curriculum (50%; 54%; and 43%, respectively) and a lack of training requirements were also commonly endorsed (57%; 60%; and 35%, respectively). Barriers were endorsed more commonly for sexual health topics than fertility. The results highlight the scarcity of training in SRH, particularly in sexual health, within hematology/oncology fellowship programs. The heavy reliance on informal instruction methods may lead to inconsistent and inadequate education. Efforts to integrate comprehensive training in SRH into fellowship programs are crucial to ensuring that such concerns are included in routine cancer care.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Pharmacovigilance and Materiovigilance among Oral Health Practitioners in India

ABSTRACT Aim: This electronic survey was carried out to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices among the oral health practitioners. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted among undergraduates, graduated practitioners, and specialist practitioners. A Google Form that included a specified instruction format, informed consent with a clear description of the purpose of the study, and questions in different categories were sent through Whatsapp and email. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze responses. The association of knowledge and attitude with respect to oral health professionals was analyzed with the Chi-square test. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 570 participants. Thirty percent of participants encountered ADR related to the drugs available in the market and 33.2% of participants encountered adverse reaction related to materials used in practice. ADR should be reported as soon as it is detected, according to this study about 12.1% of participants reported the ADRs, and this reporting is primarily for patient safety. Almost 66.8% of participants perceived that dental products can cause ADR owing to a lack of information about ADR and reporting procedures, or due to fear of legal concerns. Only about 9.5% of the participants had previously attended an ADR workshop. Conclusion: Oral health practitioners have a general understanding of ADR; however, there is substantial evidence of underreporting and a lack of reporting system information. Organizing an orientation program and raising awareness about ADR reporting could help improve spontaneous reporting and better patient care.

Engaging Turkish Learners in Digital Participatory Culture Through Social Media?Enhanced Language Instruction

Research has shown that social media can provide valuable tools for L2 teaching and learning, particularly for developing learners’ informal learning of non-academic interactional registers, socio-pragmatics, culture, and multiliteracies. However, the fact that their benefits are more pronounced in informal contexts due to their quotidian nature poses a challenge for incorporating them into formal language instruction settings. In response, we designed social media-enhanced instruction for 12 intermediate-level learners of Turkish as a foreign language at a large public American university. Learners were required to post tweets in Turkish and engage with both their colleagues and native speakers of Turkish on Twitter each week, writing biweekly journal entries about their experiences. A mixture of quantitative and qualitative data, consisting of learners’ journal entries, tweets, and the projects they developed as part of the instruction, were collected before, during, and after instruction and then analyzed using grounded qualitative techniques. The findings provide insight into how Turkish learners can engage in various social media literacy practices, developing awareness of everyday Turkish cultural discourses and language uses. The findings highlight the potential of social media-enhanced language learning as a means to engage in digital participatory culture.

School Connectedness and Academic Self-Efficacy During Pandemic Learning: A Mixed-Methods Study of Middle School Students’ Science Experiences

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in dramatic changes to the experiences of school for young people around the world as youth and adults navigated changes to instructional format and means of engaging in teaching and learning. School connectedness during the pandemic served a potentially protective role for adolescents during this uncertain time. In this study, we investigate students’ ( n = 64) experiences of connectedness with their teachers and peers and examine how students’ perceptions of belonging relate to their science self-efficacy. We draw on mixed-methods with students at two middle schools using dramatically different instructional approaches. These multiple data sources provide insight into the importance of building and sustaining relationships and connectedness for students’ self-efficacy, specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Connectedness to one’s science teacher was the strongest predictor of science self-efficacy, and qualitative data describe how connectedness was fostered even when typical approaches were unavailable.

Structural analysis of lexical bundles in graduate students' research paper abstracts

Lexical bundles, as a recurrent sequence of words, are an important component of both spoken and written academic corpora, used both by professional academics and student writers in order to contribute to better structural organization, efficient communication, and well-established credibility. These expressions are formulaic and highly frequent, with rather clear discourse function and communicative purpose. The most frequently used structures of lexical bundles include NP-based, VP-based, and clause-based bundles. The aim of the paper is to explore the lexical bundles on a learner corpus of 448 abstracts written by non-native English speakers in English during their Masters studies. Structural analysis is performed in order to observe which structures students prefer and utilize while writing abstracts. The corpus was subdivided into two sub-corpora, depending on whether graduate students received any formal instruction on academic writing before publishing their abstracts, to explore whether instructions influence the use of lexical bundles with novice writers. The results offer the most common structures of lexical bundles that graduate students use, as well as the analysis of the types and diversity of lexical bundles used based on whether or not students had academic writing instructions.

Long-term music instruction is partially associated with the development of socioemotional skills.

This study aims to investigate the development of pitch-matching, rhythmic entrainment, and socioemotional skills in children who received formal music instruction and other non-music based after school programs. Eighty-three children, averaging 6.81 years old at baseline, were enrolled in either a music, sports, or no after-school program and followed over four years. The music program involved formal and systematic instruction in music theory, instrumental technique, and performance. Most control participants had no music education; however, in some instances, participants received minimal music education at school or at church. Musical development was measured using a pitch-matching and drumming-based rhythmic entrainment task. Sharing behavior was measured using a variation of the dictator game, and empathy was assessed using three different assessments: the Index of Empathy for Children and Adolescence (trait empathy), the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (theory of mind), and a Fiction Emotion-Matching task (state empathy). Results revealed no time-related associations in pitch-matching ability; however, formal music instruction improved pitch-matching relative to controls. On the contrary, improvements in rhythmic entrainment were best explained by age-related changes rather than music instruction. This study also found limited support for a positive association between formal music instruction and socioemotional skills. That is, individuals with formal music instruction exhibited improved emotion-matching relative to those with sports training. In terms of general socioemotional development, children's trait-level affective empathy did not improve over time, while sharing, theory of mind, and state empathy did. Additionally, pitch-matching and rhythmic entrainment did not reliably predict any socioemotional measures, with associations being trivial to small. While formal music instruction benefitted pitch-matching ability and emotion-matching to an audiovisual stimulus, it was not a significant predictor of rhythmic entrainment or broader socioemotional development. These findings suggest that the transfer of music training may be most evident in near or similar domains.

The impact of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic on reading fluency among second grade students: socioeconomic and gender perspectives.

The acquisition of reading skills is a crucial milestone in early education, with formal instruction and practice playing pivotal roles. The outbreak of COVID-19 led to widespread school closures and a shift to remote learning. This study aimed to investigate the effects of school closures on reading acquisition and fluency among a large sample of second-grade children, considering socioeconomic status (SES) and gender differences. In 2019, a cohort of 2228 second-grade students from 34 schools was assessed for word reading fluency and comprehension. In 2020, during the pandemic, 765 students from a subsample of 20 original schools were re-evaluated using the same measures. The study also collected school-related data. The findings from the entire sample indicated no significant differences in fluency and comprehension scores between children in the second grade in 2019 and 2020. However, a significant interaction emerged when analyzing low SES versus high SES children. Children from low SES backgrounds exhibited notably lower reading scores after a year of remote learning due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Moreover, the disparity in reading scores between low SES and high SES children nearly doubled in 2020. Gender differences were also detected. These results underscore the impact of remote learning during the COVID-19 crisis on exacerbating gaps in reading fluency and comprehension between children from high and low SES backgrounds. The implications of these findings highlight the critical role of in-person schooling and targeted support for disadvantaged students, especially during pivotal stages of reading development.

A Novel Leadership Curriculum for Emergency Medicine Residents.

This longitudinal leadership curriculum is designed for emergency medicine residents at all levels, with individual sessions designed for each residency year. This curriculum runs once annually over three to four years of emergency medicine residency. Leadership is a vital skill for emergency physicians but is often passively taught during residency training. Strong leadership skills can lead to improved patient outcomes, but very few residency programs in any specialty and no emergency medicine residency programs have published comprehensive leadership training curricula. The goals of this curriculum are to expose Emergency Medicine residents to the basics of leadership, to provide a graduated series of interactive, psychologically safe environments to explore individual leadership styles, to review interesting relevant literature, and to discuss leadership principles and experiences with senior leaders in our Emergency Department. The educational strategies used in this curriculum include: brief lecture-style seminars, small group discussion and reflection, and a panel-style discussion. The educational content of this curriculum was evaluated by learners via feedback surveys after each session. Course evaluations conducted in both 2017 and 2020 showed that more than 89% of resident participants found these sessions "useful" or "very useful." All residents surveyed agreed that leadership is an important topic for emergency medicine residency, and 76% felt that the inclusion of leadership content strengthened the residency's curriculum. Suggestions for future topics included handling personal conflict and discussing transitions in leadership during yearly residency promotions. The curriculum has been successfully implemented for seven years. It has proven to be sustainable and requires minimal resources. The residents report high satisfaction with the curriculum and agree that formal instruction on the topic of leadership is important to their on-shift performance and careers. Leadership, communication.

THE USE OF MOBILE APPLICATIONS IN ENHANCING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING AMONG VIETNAMESE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

This qualitative study investigated how Vietnamese university students utilize mobile applications for English language learning, addressing a significant research gap in understanding the integration of mobile learning technologies within Vietnam's higher education context. The research aimed to explore students' usage patterns, experiences, and the relationship between mobile applications and formal language instruction. Using a combination of semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, observations, and document analysis, the study collected data from 30 university students across various academic disciplines and proficiency levels. The findings revealed that students primarily use mobile applications as complementary tools to formal education, with clear preferences for applications offering immediate feedback and interactive features. Students developed sophisticated learning strategies, combining multiple applications to address different language skills, particularly focusing on pronunciation and vocabulary acquisition. The research also identified challenges in integrating mobile applications with formal education, including limited institutional support and guidance. These findings have significant implications for educational stakeholders: they suggest the need for structured integration of mobile applications into formal curriculum, enhanced institutional support systems, and better alignment between mobile learning activities and traditional teaching methods. The results contribute to developing more effective mobile-assisted language learning strategies specifically tailored to the Vietnamese higher education context.

Experiences of female Chinese university students in Japan: A diary study with a grounded theory approach

The focus of this study is to explore the relationship between linguistic and cultural learning processes that female Chinese university exchange students perceived in Japan over one academic year. Methodologically, the data for diary entries with follow-up interviews were analyzed and interpreted, using a grounded theory approach. The main findings were that: none of the Chinese sojourners’ experiences during study abroad represented the models of conceptualizing adaptive changes (Lysgaard, 1955; Oberg 1960). At a linguistic level, the sojourners experienced language shock at the initial arrival stage while at the cultural level, they came to develop negative attitudes towards hosts over time. In the perceptions of linguistically- and culturally-specific restructuring processes in the host environment, with the impact of rich formal classroom instruction and learning in the home country, the sojourners were constructing dual identities negotiated with age and gender. They wished to celebrate their youth with hosts of the same generation by becoming involved in similar linguistic usage on one hand, and to behave in a polite manner like elderly women at linguistic and cultural levels on the other hand.

Exploring learner engagement with languages (LX) within and beyond the English classroom

Given the complex language repertoire of a large number of students within Austrian schools, particularly in lower secondary schools, it would be critically important to understand their practices, attitudes, and beliefs towards the multiple languages they encounter in their different areas of life. In this study I redefine and expand on the construct of engagement with language to incorporate an investigation of the different languages (hereafter LX) that learners come into contact with in and outside of school. I propose the construct of ‘engagement with LX’ to depict how learners utilize, reflect on, and relate to the LX in their repertoires in all contexts of their lives, including English as a language of formal foreign language instruction. Participants in this study were nine learners from the same English class in an Austrian middle school. Data for this study were collected using a biodata questionnaire, classroom observations, video-audio recordings of the lesson, and semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed the complexity of learners’ multilingual lives within and beyond the classroom, as well as the interconnections between these domains. Findings have also shed light on the ways learners’ engagement with LX beyond the classroom can support their learning in the English classroom, and the kind of affordances for language learning they perceive across their multiple contexts. The study also offers practical implications in terms of how teachers can engage with learners’ whole LX repertoire to support their learning process.

When ‘Non-Instructional’ Librarians Teach

This article shares individual and collective experiences from five faculty ranked librarians with roles outside of formal instruction who are employed at an academic institution in the United States, and their approach to developing and embracing a teacher identity in the context of their professional trajectory. The article explores how the authors prepared to be evaluated against traditional classroom teaching for promotion by forming a cohort-based group to support “non-instructional” librarians to create a teaching portfolio, and how they approached teaching from liminal and, at times, tenuous positions and career stages. Authors conclude that the process challenged and expanded their perceptions of librarians and their own roles by revealing essential teaching functions performed regularly, regardless of their “non-teaching” title. Furthermore, developing a teaching portfolio has additional value in supporting the profession at large and demonstrating the essential role of the library at higher education institutions.

Making Mindfulness Meditation a Healthy Habit

ObjectivesThe benefits of mindfulness meditation can only be achieved if it is practiced, but health behavior research tells us that initiating and maintaining long-term behavior change is difficult. We propose that mindfulness meditation can be usefully viewed as a health behavior and that this perspective generates insights into how individuals can be supported to develop a healthy habit of mindfulness practice.MethodWe synthesize health behavior models with research on mindfulness practice and with mindfulness curricula to develop the Sussex Mindfulness MEDitation (SuMMed) model. This new theoretical model of mindfulness meditation as a health behavior outlines the stages individuals progress through as they develop a sustained habit of meditation and the processes that facilitate transition between these stages. We contextualize these processes within existing curricula and outline how they could be further supported.ResultsOur model generates a roadmap for future research as well as practical suggestions tailored to individuals at different stages of behavior change. In particular, our model highlights the need to support individuals to continue practice beyond formal instruction, and suggests how maintenance of a meditation habit could be facilitated.ConclusionsMindfulness meditation can be viewed as a health behavior, and understanding mindfulness practice through this lens can help bridge the challenges associated with developing and sustaining mindfulness practice.