Instructional Preferences Research Articles

Social classroom seating assignment problems

AbstractUniversity students benefit academically, personally and professionally from an expansion of their in‐class social network. To facilitate this, we present a novel and broadly‐applicable optimization approach that exposes individuals to as many as possible peers that they do not know. This novel class of “social seating assignment problems” is parameterized by the social network, the physical seating structure and “tie potentials” representing the likelihood for two neighbors to connect. The resulting problem is NP‐hard and belongs to assignment problems with an elaborate objective that depends on the relation of both seats and individuals assigned to them. We develop compact integer programming formulations and strengthen them with valid inequalities to improve performance. In parallel, we suggest fast heuristics that are guided by network centrality measures. Finally, we present the necessary modeling techniques to integrate practically relevant instructor preferences and special student needs. Combining the above, we experiment on a set of 320 realistic instances with up to 200 students forming both sparse and dense social networks and for both rectangular and circular classrooms. For sparse or small instances we present optimality gaps under 1.3% within a few minutes, whereas in larger or denser cases the algorithmic performance decreases. We also evaluate our approach from both a quantitative and a qualitative perspective on three actual classes with more than 70 students. A network‐analysis‐based comparison of a priori and a posteriori networks shows that 40% of opportunities led to new connections, while feedback from both instructor and student is particularly favorable for our method.

Assessing the Initial Outcomes of a Blended Learning Course for Teachers Facilitating Astronomy Activities for Young Children

Globally, astronomy education is being promoted through curricula. Research indicates that educators need support to fundamentally comprehend and gain knowledge of astronomy as well as pedagogical expertise to organize and facilitate astronomy-related activities in the classroom. In response to this notable demand, we have designed a coherent training program that addresses both the foundational and pedagogical content knowledge necessary to instruct astronomy subjects at the pre-primary and early school levels. This program is constructed in a blended learning format, which combines online and in-person training with practical implementations in the classroom. We trained both professional and student kindergarten teachers, and we used questionnaires and interviews to evaluate and improve our training program. In this article, we present the results of our initial evaluation. We found that the student teachers showed a more significant improvement in their content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and instruction preferences compared to the professional teachers. However, we identified several areas for improvement, which will be addressed in future cycles of the program for further evaluation.

The Comparison of Different Instructional Styles in China and the United States on Early Education

Instructional styles play a critical role in shaping student outcomes. They determine the extent to which students participate in class. They also shape the resource allocation efforts assumed by instructors. While there are multiple studies which examine the implementation of different instructional styles, more research is needed to establish the variabilities in different instructional styles across different regions. Accordingly, this study examines the impact of instructional styles on early education, with a specific focus on China and the United States. In its comparative approach, it highlights the contrast between student-centered, constructivist teaching in the United States and the teacher-centered, Behaviorist approach in China. The comparison is intended to shed more light on the culture influences shaping teaching across different geographical settings. It provides a model of comparison for similar analyses in the future. The paper also discusses how societal and parental expectations shape instructional preferences and explores the effects of these styles on academic achievement, creativity, and critical thinking.

“I Didn’t Care About Enrollment:” Investigating Catholic School Leader Perceptions of the COVID Era Return to In-Person Instruction

ABSTRACT Many Catholic schools in the U.S. resumed in-person instruction in 2020–2021 sooner than public schools. But little research has examined whether Catholic school leaders made these decisions in light of parents’ preferences for in-person instruction. This paper presents a qualitative analysis of interviews with Catholic school leaders examining these dynamics in a single Northeastern city. Findings indicate leaders’ decisions were focused on meeting the needs of those parents who had previously made the choice to enroll students at their schools and not on increasing enrollment as its own end. Several implications of these findings are highlighted in the discussion.

University students’ perceptions of team teaching by native and non-native speakers in a Spanish course

Abstract This study investigated the perceptions of 200 Korean students of Spanish as a foreign language regarding team teaching by a Korean Spanish teacher (KST) and a native Spanish-speaking teacher (NST) in a university Spanish course. The survey focused on the students’ views on the weight and demand of learning areas in the lectures, the teaching method and attitude of each instructor, and the advantages and disadvantages of each teacher. The questionnaire asked the students to evaluate the overall team teaching to discern their expectations of the Spanish classes. The results showed that the students had high demands for speaking in both the KST’s and NST’s classes and indicated the advantages and disadvantages of both types of teachers. A relationship was found between the language proficiency level of the students and their preference for instructors, and the use of the first language was considered positive. Overall, the team teaching was evaluated as ideal.

Let us get numerical: explaining Political Science student preferences for quantitative studies

The global push to reorient social sciences in an increasingly technical direction might have a clear labour-market justification, but the efforts face headwinds from both faculty and students. This research is concerned with the fear that students would resist such a reorientation. Much of the pedagogic social-science research seeks ways to alleviate student math and statistics anxiety, an obstacle that would apply regardless of whether students receive such instruction in their field or indirectly through required cognate courses. The literature tends to emphasise instructor perspectives, but we focus on student attitudes. Using a survey of Political Science students at 11 institutions in the Western Balkans we predict student preferences for empirical, statistical, mathematical and computational instruction. Our explanatory variables fall into three batches: computer literacy, educational expectations and perception of career usefulness. Our main conclusion is that students expecting (1) to acquire practical training or (2) to develop research skills are especially likely to embrace a curriculum oriented toward empirical/statistical/mathematical/computational applications in Political Science, an association that grows stronger as the students remain enrolled. Insofar as a programme or institution can recruit for, or cultivate, such expectations, they can expect students relatively receptive to the technical direction in Political Science education.

Do we know our language learners?: Investigating students’ and teachers’ technology ownership, access, literacy, and interest in online education

This mixed methods study investigates issues related to students’ and teachers’ technology ownership, access, literacy, and preferences for engaging in online second language (L2) learning. In the study, teachers ( N = 20) and L2 learners ( N = 283) of various languages at a large US university completed a survey. Three topics were examined, including: (1) students’ and teachers’ ownership of and access to different technologies; (2) students’ self-reported literacy with 21 computer-based tasks, which were compared to teachers’ beliefs about students’ literacy; and (3) students’ and teachers’ preferences for in-person, hybrid, or online learning, which were compared to teachers’ beliefs about students’ preferences. The findings show similar technology ownership patterns among the groups, but some students struggled with gaining access to certain tools/devices. Teachers also occasionally overrated and underrated students’ literacy with various tasks. Finally, students and instructors shared a strong preference for in-person instruction, yet some teachers had misconceptions about students’ interest in hybrid courses.

Shedding Light on Pre-Service Science Teachers' Instructional Preferences and Hurdles in Teaching Phases of the Moon

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the instructional methods employed by pre-service science teachers and explore the difficulties they encountered while teaching the concept of moon phases. Design/Methodology/Approach: The present study employed a qualitative research approach using case study methodology to explore the experiences of eight pre-service science teachers. Data were collected through observation of instruction, examination of lesson plans, and semi-structured interviews to gain insights into their instructional practices and challenges. Specifically, the study aimed to understand the difficulties encountered by these pre-service teachers when teaching the phases of the moon. This approach allowed for a rich and in-depth understanding of the complex nature of teaching science to pre-service teachers. Findings: Analysis revealed that pre-service science teachers predominantly favored physical models and simulations for teaching moon phases. However, the study also identified challenges faced by these teachers in implementing topic-specific teaching strategies. Highlights: These issues highlight the importance of equipping pre-service science teachers with adequate preparation and resources to effectively teach the phases of the moon. Addressing these concerns may involve providing accurate models, instructing on proper terminology, and offering activities that foster spatial awareness to enhance their understanding and teaching abilities.

Interrogating Pedagogical Modalities: An In-depth Examination of the Lecture Method in Higher Education

The prevalence of the lecture method in university education prompts an inquiry into its adoption, whether driven by demonstrated effectiveness or individual instructor preferences. This study aims to elucidate critical aspects of the lecture method's implementation, investigating if educators augment it with additional resources and employ a well-defined model for effective delivery. Furthermore, the research explores the allocation of time and resources by instructors to cultivate an optimal learning environment. A key aspect of this investigation is the examination of methods utilized by educators to assess the effectiveness of their lectures. Conducted within the context of the Royal University of Bhutan, this study employs a phenomenological approach to address the ambiguity surrounding the lecture method's popularity and implementation. The findings illuminate a widespread utilization of the lecture method yet reveal that only a minority of instructors possess a comprehensive understanding of its theoretical foundations. Both educators and students express a collective desire for improvements in terms of resources, delivery techniques, and increased student engagement within the lecture format. These insights highlight the need for a more nuanced and informed approach to the integration of the lecture method in university education.

Wargaming for Learning: How Educational Gaming Supports Student Learning and Perspectives

To what extent does educational gaming add value to more traditional instructional models in learning core concepts of national security and warfighting? This paper presents the results from a quasi-experimental, cross-sectional, and longitudinal study of students taking two standardized courses in the Joint Military Operations department at the US Naval War College. Split into wargaming and non-wargaming sections by instructor preference, subject learning is measured through self-reported and objective measures at three points: prior to the start of the content block on “Operational Art”; after the case study of the WW2 battle of Leyte Gulf but prior to any wargaming; and for subjects in wargaming course sections, after participating in the Leyte Gulf scenario of the “War at Sea” wargame. The results support the hypotheses that wargaming increases learning and alter student preferences in favor of learning through gaming but fail to find evidence that students recognize the value of the debriefing phase of educational gaming. This article adds to existing studies by focusing on an understudied practitioner population—graduate-level career military officers at a professional military education (PME) institution—and mitigating several of the methodological challenges facing many scholarly projects in the study of educational gaming in political science.

Emergency Medicine Resident Needs Assessment and Preferences for a High-value Care Curriculum.

Consideration of the cost of care and value in healthcare is now a recognized element of physician training. Despite the urgency to educate trainees in high-value care (HVC), educational curricula and evaluation of these training paths remain limited, especially with respect to emergency medicine (EM) residents. We aimed to complete a needs assessment and evaluate curricular preferences for instruction on HVC among EM residents. This was a qualitative, exploratory study using content analysis of two focus groups including a total of eight EM residents from a single Midwestern EM residency training program. Participants also completed a survey questionnaire. There were two themes. Within the overall theme of resident experience with and perception of HVC, we found five sub-themes: 1)understanding of HVC focuses on diagnosis and decision-making; 2)concern about patient costs, including the effects on patients' lives and their ability to engage with recommended outpatient care; 3)conflict between internal beliefs and external expectations, including patients' perceptions of value; 4)approach to HVC changes with increasing clinical experience; and 5)slow-moving, political discussion around HVC. Within the overall theme of desired education and curricular design, we identified four sub-themes: 1)limited prior education on HVC and health economics; 2)motivation to receive training on HVC and health economics; 3)desire for discussion-based format for HVC curriculum; and 4)curriculum targeted to level of training. Respondents indicated greatest acceptability of interactive, discussion-based formats. We conducted a targeted needs assessment for HVC among EM residents. We identified broad interest in the topic and limited self-reported baseline knowledge. Curricular content may benefit from incorporating resident concerns about patient costs and conflict between external expectations and internal beliefs about HVC. Curricular design may benefit from a focus on interactive, discussion-based modalities and tailoring to the learner's level of training.

Teachers’ Methods of Instructions and Learners’ Instructional Preference: Predictors of Students’ Academic Performance in English 8

The study aimed to identify the method of instruction dominantly used in English 8 classes. The study also wanted to investigate the impact of the methods of instruction dominantly employed by the teachers and the student preferences on the latter’s academic performance. The researcher utilized the descriptive-correlational survey design. The respondents of the study were the 300 randomly selected Grade 8 students from 10 high schools of Santa Catalina Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4. The researcher used a standardized questionnaire and employed the weighted mean, percent, Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, and Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient in treating the data. The results revealed that the extent of teachers’ utilization of and the extent of preference for the five learning methods of instruction in their English class is “high.” The data also indicated that, among all methods of instruction, teacher-centered instruction demonstrated the strongest correlation with teachers' utilization and with students' preferences. The students’ academic performance also improved as teachers used more teacher-centered instruction and increased with a higher preference for teacher-centered instruction. These findings highlight the effectiveness of tailoring and employing classroom instructions and diverse methods in English language teaching that align with students' preferred methods of learning, to enhance their knowledge and academic achievement.

Association of Learning Styles with Academic Achievements in First-year Professional MBBS Students of a Medical College in Eastern India: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Research has shown that learning may be optimised by synchronising the learning environment with the learning style preferences of students. First-year medical students face immense stress as they adapt to a new learning environment and curriculum at the onset of their medical career. The simultaneous use of two supplementary learning styles questionnaires, namely, the Visual-Aural/Auditory-Read/WriteKinesthetic (VARK) questionnaire and the Vermunt Inventory of Learning Styles (Vermunt ILS), would provide detailed knowledge of their instructional preferences, information processing, and cognitive personality learning styles. Judicious use of such information at this stage may guide them towards improved learning and higher academic achievement. Aim: To study the association between learning styles and academic achievements in first-year professional MBBS students of a medical college. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India over the duration of 10 months from August 2021 to June 2022. Online surveys of 250 first-year MBBS students’ learning styles were conducted using the VARK questionnaire and Vermunt ILS, and the marks of three internal assessment examinations were collected. The data was entered into Microsoft Excel. Group as well as individual scores were analysed, and Pearson’s Chisquare test was used to determine the association between the students’ learning styles and their academic achievement. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Out of the total of 160 submitted questionnaires, 139 (86.8%) students were visual learners, while the rest were multimodal learners. The factor loading of the ILS scales revealed higher alpha coefficients for learning orientations and mental models of learning, with the ‘use of knowledge’ being awarded high scores by the highest number of students, 104 (83.56%). A total 134 learners gave lower scores to processing and regulation strategies, but a significant association was found between 126 (94%) of them and their academic scores of ≥50% (p-value=0.024). Conclusion: Although no positive association was found between learning styles and academic achievement of firstyear medical students, the integration of two learning style tests provided educators with comprehensive insight into the learning preferences of their students, enabling them to develop an adaptive curriculum. Students might also utilise knowledge of their learning styles to guide themselves towards self-directed learning, lifelong learning, and higher academic achievement.

Positive perceptions of virtual didactics during the COVID-19 pandemic: a survey of dermatology residents' satisfaction, perception of efficacy and preferences.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, resident didactics at many institutions, including ours, were transitioned from in-person to virtual. We aimed to examine dermatology residents' attitudes towards virtual didactics, assessing their satisfaction, impression of effectiveness and preference, along with factors correlating with these responses. An online questionnaire was administered to dermatology residents at our institution 3-6 months following the transition to virtual didactics. The response rate was 26 of 31 residents (84%). Of the 26 respondents, 20 (77%) expressed satisfaction, 15 (58%) effectiveness and 12 (46%) a preference towards virtual didactics. Factors associated with satisfaction included feeling that virtual didactics positively impacted learning retention, represented time well spent and utilized high-quality images. Perception of effectiveness correlated with using high-quality images, baseline preference for online instruction and feeling engaged. Factors associated with preference for virtual didactics included having opportunities for critical thinking, using high-quality images and utilizing images applicable to teledermatology care. Advantages of virtual didactics included convenience, decreased commuting and easily hosting guest lecturers. Disadvantages included distractions/decreased focus, reduced social interaction and difficulty with communication. Residents expressed satisfaction with, effectiveness of and some preference towards virtual didactics, which correlated with numerous factors relating to the learning environment, prior educational experiences and technology. Our findings suggest that it is reasonable to maintain a virtual didactic component as part of dermatology resident education. Furthermore, our data provide insights into strategies that residency programme directors and educators may consider when/if integrating virtual didactics into future educational curricula.

Education Research: Evaluating Medical Student Learning Preference and Its Relationship to Clerkship Satisfaction.

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the Association of American Medical Colleges' commitment to competency-based medical education (CBME) has shifted the medical education landscape. Education methods conducive to CBME are learner-centered and give educators the opportunity to develop a more personalized approach to curricular development and delivery. By understanding learning preferences, educators are better positioned to respond to the changing needs of students. The Learning Preference Inventory (LPI) is a validated tool that assesses preferences across 3 domains: (1) content delivery (concrete vs abstract), (2) instruction (teacher-centered vs student-centered), and (3) learning structure (individual vs interpersonal). Using the LPI, our objective was to describe the learning preferences of medical students in the Neurology clerkship and to evaluate how preferences correlate with satisfaction with curricular elements. A cohort of second-year through fourth-year medical students rotating through the required Neurology clerkship at a single institution was identified. All students completed the LPI and a survey to assess satisfaction with curricular elements, including an in-person localization session, virtual simulation, and a summative case study. Five hundred thirty medical students were included. Preference for concrete content delivery was much more common than abstract (83% vs 17%); otherwise students were evenly divided in their preferences for teacher-centered vs learner-centered instruction and interpersonal vs individual learning structure. There was a significant difference in LPI responses across medical school years: More third-year and fourth-year students preferred individual learning structure compared with second-year students (p = 0.040). Learning preferences also correlated with course satisfaction survey responses. Student satisfaction with the course activities was overall positive, with 69% of students agreeing that the course enhanced their learning. Abstract learners were significantly more likely to report that the virtual simulation enhanced their learning than concrete learners (p = 0.018). Neurology clerkship students demonstrated clear learning preferences that were associated with satisfaction with specific curricular content. There were significant differences in learning preferences across medical school years, suggesting that learning preferences may shift throughout training and may be influenced by clinical exposure. In an educational environment that cultivates the success of all learners, the LPI provides important data to inform curricular development and achieve personalized medical education.

AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF ACADEMIC STAFF PERCEPTIONS AND RESPONSES: ONLINE TEACHING DURING THE PANDEMIC

This study examines the preferences of academic staff members in online teaching, considering gender, age, specialization, teaching level, and prior online teaching experience. Notably, females aged 25-34 with online teaching experience exhibit a strong preference for online instruction, while males aged 55 and above also show enthusiasm for this mode of teaching. Teaching in food and agriculture fields garners higher scores, possibly due to the practical nature of these disciplines.

A Lenz into the predictive power of language teacher emotion regulation and self-evaluation on L2 grit, teaching style preferences, and work engagement: a case of Chinese EFL instructors

An individual’s capacity to successfully control their emotional experiences and react to them requires them to engage in a number of processes, including those that are physiological, behavioral, and cognitive. When educators engage in self-evaluation, they investigate and assess the quality of their professional work. These two teacher-related conceptions have the potential to open up valuable perspectives in the course of the professional pursuits of teachers. Even though earlier research has shown their significance, the potential implications of these factors on the resiliency and teaching style preferences of language instructors have not been emphasized. As a result, the purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a language teacher’s ability to regulate their emotions while carrying out self-evaluation procedures may accurately predict their level of resilience as well as their preferred method of instruction. To accomplish this, 399 English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers were asked to reflect on their experiences by responding to the following related questionnaires: The Language Teacher Emotion Regulation Inventory (LTERI), The Core of Self-evaluation Questionnaire (CSEQ), the L2-teacher Grit Scale (L2TGS), Grasha Teaching Style Inventory (TSI) and the Engaged Teacher Scale (ETS). The results demonstrated that those EFL teachers who maintained healthy emotional control were grittier and more engaged. They also tended to teach in a manner focused on the students. The pedagogical implications of this research are discussed further in depth.

Exploring the Impact of Ungrading on Student Learning

In most academic disciplines and schooling contexts, grading practices tend to vary by individual instructor preferences and habits. The field of Library and Information Science (LIS) is no different, with grading practices and norms varying even within a particular program. Despite these variations in assessment, a unifying factor across all fields is the understanding of learning itself, and there is a great deal known about how people learn, regardless of discipline/course/program (Bransford et al., 2000). Bringing insights from the Learning Sciences, this study aims to investigate the impact of ungrading on student learning. Specifically, we primarily employ a qualitative approach informed by a sociocultural perspective of learning and human development. Our in-progress research aims to understand how ungrading, which involves eliminating or minimizing grades in the assessment process, affects students' learning and their learning experiences in the context of two IT-focused asynchronous courses in a library and information science program master’s program in the southeast of the United States. To gather insights about students’ learning experiences, data collection methods will include semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and participant observation, with a particular focus on how students’ perceptions and experiences of ungrading impact how they learn. Pre- and post-hoc tests will be used to study learning mastery of course content. The findings will offer implications for research and practice related to how to best support LIS student learning, especially within the context of online, asynchronous, higher education courses.

Implicit and explicit instruction in the second language classroom: A study of learner preferences in higher education

AbstractIn a recent study, English‐speaking L2 learners of German who received explicit instruction made significantly greater improvements in pronunciation and vocabulary than learners who received implicit instruction. Against the backdrop of this work, the present study reports learner preferences and perceptions about implicit and explicit language instruction. Results highlight a general preference for explicit instruction among university students, with implicit instruction reported as a source of stress and learner anxiety. While implicit and explicit instruction both have a place in the L2 classroom, learners reported that explicit instruction helped circumvent crosslinguistic transfer and ease anxiety. Many learners reported the expectation of declarative knowledge as a function of higher education instruction, suggesting that the exclusive goal of communicative competence may be an insufficient target for university language students. This study highlights the importance of explicit instruction in the L2 classroom.

Anesthesiology resident preferences regarding learning to perform epidural anesthesia procedures in obstetrics: a qualitative phenomenological study

BackgroundLearning to perform neuraxial techniques in obstetrics is considered one of the most difficult skills for anesthesiology trainees to acquire and no consensus exists regarding the best practices for teaching these procedures. Utilizing a qualitative, phenomenological approach, we aimed to explore what trainees perceive as the best approaches to teaching epidural anesthesia techniques; identify how these perceptions align or differ from those of faculty anesthesiologists; and examine how these approaches fit into the cognitive apprenticeship framework, which describes a process of reflection on how learning occurs in the authentic environment. MethodsSemi-scripted interviews were conducted with 10 residents and three faculty members from the division of obstetric anesthesiology at an academic center. Interviews were transcribed, de-identified, fragmented, and coded. A thematic analysis was conducted, and codes re-organized into the cognitive apprenticeship framework of (1) content, (2) method (including subcategories modeling, coaching, scaffolding, articulation, reflection, and exploration), (3) sequence, and (4) sociology (including situated learning and culture of expert practice). ResultsTrainees valued a staged approach to learning epidural techniques, independent trouble-shooting, graded independence, focused feedback, and a calm instructor. The challenges of learning and teaching epidural techniques identified by trainees and instructors included the tactile nature of the procedure, teaching on awake, non-sedated patients, limited teaching time, and creating an environment of psychological safety. ConclusionTrainee and instructor preferences for teaching epidural procedures in obstetrics aligned with the cognitive apprenticeship framework. These concepts may be applied to curriculum design, evaluation, feedback, self-assessment and faculty development.