Research Self-efficacy Research Articles

The CERIC method plus social collaborative annotation improves critical reading of the primary literature in an interdisciplinary graduate course

BackgroundInnovative approaches to graduate education that foster interdisciplinary learning are necessary, given the expansion of interdisciplinary research (IDR) and its ability to explore intricate issues and cutting-edge technology.PurposeThis study examines an intervention to develop critical reading skills of the primary literature (CRPL), which are often assumed and unaided by formal instruction in graduate education (GE) yet are crucial for academic success and adapting to new research fields.MethodsThis study applied mixed methods and a pre-post design to assess the effectiveness of a CRPL intervention among 24 doctoral students from diverse fields engaging in the interdisciplinary field of science policy research. The intervention was a 4-week online course with explicit instruction in a categorical reading approach, the CERIC method (claim, evidence, reasoning, implications, and context), combined with social collaborative annotation (SCA) to facilitate low-stakes, peer-based discourse practice. It examined how participation changed participants’ CRPL skills and self-perceptions.ResultsThe intervention significantly improved CRPL, t(23) = 13.6, p < 0.0001; research self-efficacy, t(23) = 4.9, p < 0.0001; and reading apprehension, t(23) = 4.3, p < 0.0001. Qualitative findings corroborated these findings and highlighted the importance of explicit CRPL instruction and the value of reading methods applicable to IDR. These results aligned with sociocultural and social cognitive theories and underscored the role of discourse and social engagement in learning critical reading, which is traditionally viewed as a solitary activity.ConclusionThe findings present a valid and innovative model for developing CRPL skills in interdisciplinary GE. This approach provides a model for scaffolding CRPL that can be adapted to IDR contexts more broadly.ImplicationsThe study findings call for revising graduate curricula to incorporate explicit CRPL instruction with peer-based discourse, emphasizing integrations in higher education anywhere students encounter primary literature. The findings advocate for formal and informal adoption of the reviewed methods, offering a significant contribution to interdisciplinary GE pedagogy.

Doctoral Student’s Psychological Well-Being: A Scoping Review

Doctoral students are a group that is prone to experiencing mental health problems during their study period which provides an overview of their psychological well-being. Generally, the psychological problems that arise in this group are anxiety, depression, and some physical problems. This study basically aims to understand the psychological well-being of doctoral students through an analysis of the concepts related to psychological well-being, how it is measured, and what factors are often connected and influence it. The method used is scoping review with PRISMA-Scr 2020. Articles were obtained from 4 databases namely Scopus, EBSCO, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. There were 9 articles that were filtered based on certain inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results of this study found that the most frequently used concept to describe the psychological well-being of doctoral students is the subjective well-being of Diener (1984) and Ryff (1989). In addition, the presence/absence of psychological problems is also used as a basis for describing their psychological well-being. Psychological health measurement usually uses SWLS and SPANE from Diener and a psychological health questionnaire from Ryff. Some of the factors identified as related to psychological well-being are relationships with supervisors, research self-efficacy, perfectionism, achievement orientation, and family support. In addition, impostor syndrome and psychology capital (PsyCap) function as mediator variables.

Changes in medical students’ research-related perceptions through student-engaged medical research curriculum experience

BackgroundThis study investigated changes in students’ perceptions related to research following a student-engaged medical research curriculum.MethodsThree surveys were administered to 112 medical students to examine the changes in their perceptions of the need for research competence, research interest, and research self-efficacy after each Medical Research Practice course.ResultsThe results revealed a decline in the perception of the need for research competence and research interest after Medical Research Practice 2, with a subsequent increase after Medical Research Practice 3. Conversely, research self-efficacy showed steady improvement throughout the curriculum. Additionally, students with prior research experience exhibited higher levels of perception of the need for research competence, research interest, and research self-efficacy than those without such experience.ConclusionThis study provides insights into how medical students’ perceptions change in relation to student-engaged medical research course experiences, supporting expanding research-related curricula and assisting in the development and systematic implementation of similar programs in other medical schools.

The role of teachers’ direct and emotional mentoring in shaping undergraduates’ research aspirations: a social cognitive career theory perspective

PurposeThis study investigated the influence of teachers on undergraduate students’ development of research aspirations and the mechanisms behind this process.Design/methodology/approachEmploying social cognitive career theory, the study gathered data from 232 undergraduates, developed a structural equation model via the maximum likelihood method and executed empirical testing.FindingsThe findings reveal that neither direct nor emotional mentoring independently satisfies students’ needs for self-efficacy and aspiration in research nor significantly influences research interest. Specifically, the study demonstrates that (1) research self-efficacy, outcome expectations and research interest significantly shape research aspirations; (2) an overemphasis on direct mentoring might impede research aspiration development and (3) a focus on emotional mentoring, while overlooking direct mentoring, could result in diminished research self-efficacy.Originality/valueThis research pioneers a comprehensive analysis of the role of teachers in shaping undergraduate research aspirations through the lens of social cognitive career theory. It underscores the critical need to both balance mentoring approaches and foster intrinsic research motivation.

Clinical research self-efficacy in academic veterinary clinicians in the United States.

Clinical research is a growing part of the academic clinician's job, and documenting areas of low self-efficacy can inform training initiatives. 182 US academic veterinary clinicians. A survey of academic veterinary clinicians was distributed to 31 US institutions. Self-efficacy was assessed with a modified Clinical Research Appraisal Instrument-12. The relationship between research self-efficacy and completion of formal research training and years of experience was evaluated. Respondents were predominantly junior to midcareer faculty. The lowest reported confidence was in performing advanced statistical analyses (3; 0 to 10). Other low-confidence tasks included designing a qualitative methods study (4; 0 to 10), terminating a collaboration that isn't working (5; 0 to 10), describing a funding agency's review/award process (5; 0 to 10), establishing a timeline for a grant application (5; 0 to 10), establishing collaborator and consultant agreements (5; 0 to 10), and asking staff to leave the project team (5; 0 to 10). Completion of a formal research training program was significantly associated with improved self-efficacy in many tasks. Years of experience was also associated, especially in project management and interpersonal interactions. These results highlight the need for targeted training opportunities for academic veterinary clinicians in biostatistical support, qualitative study design methods, and aspects of communication and interpersonal skills that are important for developing and leading effective research teams. Range of confidence suggests that development opportunities in all domains will improve self-efficacy for some clinicians. Future studies should focus on the impact of formal training sessions on various domains of self-efficacy and on targeted mentoring in supporting confidence in more experiential learning domains.

Factors influencing academic resilience of master students in China

ABSTRACT This study conducted a survey using the Academic Resilience Scale and the Factors Influencing Academic Resilience Scale among 558 master’s students during the COVID-19 period. The findings reveal that master’s students’ academic resilience is at a moderately high level. Factors such as research self-efficacy, research involvement, academic guidance from supervisors, support from the university, and family support are at moderate levels and significantly influence master’s students’ academic resilience. Additionally, the study found that students with a higher frequency of communication with supervisors and those involved in supervisors’ research projects or leading their own research projects demonstrate higher levels of academic resilience and validated the applicability of an input-process-output model to contemporary master’s students. Given the above findings, it is important to enhance master students’ research investment, effectively provide them with tutor guidance and family support, and concentrate on their negative influence and emotional response to improve their academic resilience.

Mentor support and postgraduate research ability: the role of research self-efficacy and academic atmosphere

ABSTRACT Mentor is an important leader of graduate learning and growth. Whether the mentor’s education and guidance are timely and accurate is the key to improve the quality of graduate education. Based on the social information processing theory and the learning engagement theory, this study constructed a research model with postgraduate research ability as the dependent variable, mentor support as the independent variable, research learning engagement and research self-efficacy as the mediating variables, and academic atmosphere as the moderating variable. Using SEM and Bootstrapping methods, this study conducted an empirical analysis on the multi-time point data of 641 graduate students collected through questionnaires from February 2023 to June 2023. The results show that the mentor support positively affects postgraduate research ability; Research self-efficacy and research learning engagement mediate the relationship between mentor support and postgraduate research ability; Academic atmosphere can not only moderate the direct effect of mentor support on research learning engagement and research self-efficacy, but also moderate the indirect effect of mentor support on postgraduate research ability through research learning engagement and research self-efficacy.

Examining research motivation, self-efficacy, and anxiety in TEFL graduate students: a structural equation modelling approach

ABSTRACT Applied linguistics has recently seen a surge in research and methodological approaches to do stronger studies. One important factor affecting such a new movement is the researchers’ individual differences in shaping their research repertoire. Therefore, this study, which employs a path-analytic approach, investigates the interrelationship between three significant individual factors in the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) context: research self-efficacy, anxiety, and motivation. This nationwide survey included 561 male and female Iranian MA students studying TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). The researchers administered three adopted instruments, namely the research motivation scale, the research anxiety scale, and the research self-efficacy scale. The path-analytic findings revealed such interrelationships among the three factors. In particular, the findings indicated that there is a negative relationship between research anxiety and motivation to conduct research. In our study, however, the relationship between research self-efficacy and motivation is positive. These evidence-based findings can help policymakers shape an evidence-based research policy. Recommendations and implications of the results for policymakers, research methodologists, research instructors, and MA students are discussed.

EFFECTS OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES ON THE RESEARCH SELF-EFFICACY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDENT TEACHERS

This study explored whether the incorporation of specific research activities into the syllabus could develop the research self-efficacy of a group of English language student teachers in Vietnam who belong to a demographic group currently underrepresented in self-efficacy literature. It also attempted to understand the perceived effects of the intervention on students’ research self-efficacy. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design and a mixed-methods methodology. Pre- and post-questionnaires along with weekly reflective journal entries were used as data tools. Results indicate that due to their involvement in the intervention, the students in the experimental group displayed a stronger sense of research self-efficacy compared to those in the control group. The students in the experimental group gradually developed their self-efficacy owing to a growth in research knowledge and skills and a therapeutic research-training environment. The findings of the study are informative to the design, refinement, and optimization of future interventions that facilitate the effects of research experiences, knowledge, and skills on undergraduates’ research self-efficacy beliefs.

Forming Optimal Classroom Environments Through Bandura’s Mastery Experiences

Higher education faculty members are increasingly being asked to defend their teaching methods with research-based support. This article offers such evidence through a randomized control-group pretest-posttest study that examined whether a newly created andragogy method, Forming Optimal Classroom Environments (FOCE), increased master’s students’ research self-efficacy in comparison to the standard teaching method (STM). The article details the model, based on Bandura’s social cognitive theory, particularly his concept of self-efficacy. The model relies upon both Bandura’s publications and results over the last forty years from researchers who have investigated higher education teaching techniques based on the concept of self-efficacy. Fifteen such research-based techniques form the model. Results found no significant interaction effect when comparing FOCE with the STM. Additionally, both teaching methods demonstrated that knowledge increases were positively correlated with research self-efficacy increases. This indicates that increasing research knowledge is one factor in increasing students’ research self-efficacy. Implications of findings are discussed.

Future Problem-Solving Skills and Its Relationship with Research Self-Efficacy in Post-Graduate students

Future Problem-Solving Skills and Its Relationship with Research Self-Efficacy in Post-Graduate students

The Female Global Scholars Program: A mixed-methods evaluation of a novel intervention to promote the retention and advancement of women in global health research.

Fewer than 25% of global health leadership positions worldwide are held by women, adversely impacting women's health and widening gendered health disparities. The Female Global Scholars (FGS) Program, established in 2018 at Weill Cornell Medicine, is a two-year hybrid training and peer-mentorship program that promotes the retention and advancement of early-career female investigators conducting health research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of the FGS Program on individual career advancement, academic productivity, and research self-efficacy. This mixed-methods study followed an explanatory sequential design. Participants completed an electronic survey collecting information on demographics, academic milestones, and research skill competency. Survey data were descriptively analyzed using R (Version 1.4.1106). In-depth interviews explored perceptions of the impact of the FGS Program on career development. The authors independently reviewed and thematically analyzed de-identified transcripts using NVivo (Version 13). In June 2022, twelve participants completed the survey. The median age was 40 years; 90% carried an MD, PhD, or other post-graduate degree. Since joining the FGS Program, respondents achieved a combined total of eight awarded grants, five academic promotions, 12 oral scientific presentations and 35 first-author peer-reviewed publications. Thematic analysis identified four overarching themes: gaining confidence through mimicry; improved self-efficacy to address gendered challenges; real-world application of scientific and career development skills; and building multi-disciplinary communities in a protected female-only space. We demonstrate that this low-cost training and mentorship program successfully addresses critical barriers that impede women's advancement in global health research. Our data may inform the adaptation of this initiative across other academic institutions.

Summer undergraduate biomedical research program for underrepresented minority students in a rural, low-income state

IntroductionDiversity can enhance the agenda and quality of biomedical research, but a dearth of underrepresented minorities and women serve as biomedical researchers. The study purpose was to examine the impact of the a summer undergraduate research program on self-efficacy in research, scientific communication, and leadership as well as scientific identity, valuing objectives of the scientific community, and intent to pursue a biomedical research career.MethodsUnderrepresented minority and female undergraduate students participated in a mentored research experience in a rural, low-income state.ResultsStudents' self-efficacy in research, scientific communication, and leadership as well as scientific identity, valuing objectives of the scientific community, and intent to pursue a biomedical research career increased post-program compared to pre-program.ConclusionThis study supports implementation of a biomedical summer undergraduate research program for URM and women in a poor, rural, settings.

The roles of teacher and parental support on adolescent cyber-bystander behaviors: a path analysis.

The role of bystanders in cyberbullying situations is critical, with the potential to significantly influence outcomes. Bystanders who demonstrate positive behaviors-such as reporting incidents or supporting victims-can help to mitigate the damaging effects of cyberbullying. Based on the Social Cognitive Theory, this study seeks to address the psychosocial mechanisms that underlie positive cyber-bystander behaviors. A total of 1,716 students in Grades 8-12 from three secondary schools in China participated in this study. Path analysis was utilized to delineate the relationships between internet self-efficacy, empathy, teacher and parental support, and cyber-bystander behaviors. Adolescents who received greater support from teachers were more likely to demonstrate increased internet self-efficacy and empathy. In contrast, higher levels of parental warmth were associated with lower levels of internet self-efficacy. Teacher support and parental warmth exerted an indirect effect on positive bystander behaviors through empathy. The importance of parental warmth paired with Internet self-efficacy in preventing online interpersonal violence and motivate active bystander behaviors is considerable. We recommend adopting a nuanced approach that differentiates between empathy and internet self-efficacy in cyber-bystander research.

Job satisfaction among physical education teachers: A systematic literature review

Background Problems: In recent decades, physical education teacher job satisfaction has become a topic of interest in academic literature. The important role of physical education teachers' job satisfaction in the quality of teaching and its potential to influence student achievement have attracted attention. Research Objectives: This study aims to comprehensively analyse the level of job satisfaction among physical education teachers through a systematic review of the existing literature. Methods: We selected articles containing information on this topic from two databases (Scopus and Web of Science). We conducted the search according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. After the exclusion criteria, only 26 articles were categorized, all published between 2014 and 2023. Findings/Results: This research reveals that physical education teachers’ job satisfaction has been investigated in 13 countries, with Turkey, the United States, and Greece being the main focus. Although the majority of physical education teachers expressed high levels of satisfaction, significant differences in satisfaction levels emerged between them. For example, in Slovakia and Poland, satisfaction levels were relatively low. The findings underline that administrative support, work-life balance, and economic considerations are key factors that influence physical education teachers’ job satisfaction. However, in this context, money and rewards, working conditions, and the availability of resources also play an important role in determining teacher satisfaction. Conclusion: The findings from this study highlight the need for a deeper understanding of the diverse factors impacting job satisfaction among physical education instructors. We can develop more effective policies and practices to improve teachers’ well-being and performance at both local and global levels by understanding these nuances. We suggest further investigations into job satisfaction among physical education teachers in the Asian region, particularly focusing on Southeast Asia. Additionally, exploring variables such as leadership, self-efficacy, school climate, and culture in future research can offer deeper insights into the determinants of job satisfaction.

Unveiling the Confidence: Exploring Research Self-efficacy among Ph.D. Scholars

The present investigation aimed at measuring the research self-efficacy of Ph.D. research scholars. The term research self-efficacy means a person’s belief that they can perform the research activity with some proficiency. The present study consists of ninety-two participants from different universities and research institutes in West Bengal. The researchers employed a cross-sectional survey method for the present study. A self-constructed, close-ended questionnaire was constructed and administered to collect the data. During data analysis, the researchers utilised t-test, ANOVA, mean, S.D., correlation, skewness, and kurtosis with the help of SPSS-22 software. The findings of the investigation are that the research scholars have a high level of research self-efficacy. Male participants obtain slightly higher research efficacy than female scholars. Also, research scholars from science backgrounds have better research self-efficacy than those from the arts, commerce, etc. Further, the results show no significant distinction in research self-efficacy concerning their gender, faculty, type of researcher, and years of research involvement.

127 Advance RI-K Scholar Career Development Program: A one-year intensive program for developing early career faculty in an IDeA state

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: We developed a state-wide program to support early career faculty in preparing mentored career development awards, and connect them to resources, mentorship, and career development opportunities. We aimed to build self-efficacy along multiple axes, including research design and grantsmanship, and to facilitate networking with mentors and peers. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The program recruited four cohorts of faculty over the course of four years, for a total of 32 faculty participants (63% physician scientists). Participants were selected by a Steering Committee, and represented a variety of specialties from 19 departments across Brown University, University of Rhode Island, and affiliated hospitals. Participation required an institutional commitment of 20% minimum protected time to engage in research and a year-long curriculum that included biweekly didactic sessions, project development support, individual consultations, feedback on drafts, and internal study section review. Participants completed pre-, interim-, and final-assessments, which collected measures of self-efficacy, professional development needs, program satisfaction, and formative feedback. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Over the first 3 years, 21 participants completed the program, 43% have received NIH or VA K/CDA awards so far, and 48% received other federal or non-federal awards. Over 25 faculty from across institutions participated in leadership and didactics, with even greater participation on mentorship teams, panels, and grant review. All cohorts showed improvements in measures of self-efficacy in grantsmanship and research and reported high satisfaction with program activities. Participants found individualized proposal feedback and internal study sections to be most valuable, and frequently cited the value of peer-learning opportunities. Challenges for scholars include mentorship challenges, competing priorities/protected time, and various external factors that impacted individual research progress. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The program has successfully supported cohorts of junior clinical and translational faculty from across the state in launching their independent research careers. The program may serve as a model for IDeA state inter-institutional collaboration in developing diverse faculty cohorts in the early stages of preparing their career development award.

Academic self-efficacy and organisational commitment among academics in mainland China: the mediating role of job crafting

This study aimed to examine the mediating role of job crafting in the relationship between self-efficacy in teaching and research (termed ‘academic self-efficacy’) and organisational commitment among academics. Three hundred and thirty-two academics from nine higher educational institutions in Zhejiang Province and Shanghai, mainland China, participated in this study through responding to three self-report inventories: the Research-Teaching Efficacy Inventory, the Job Crafting Inventory, and the Organisational Commitment Inventory. Results suggested that academic self-efficacy predicted organisational commitment both directly and indirectly through job crafting (especially increasing structural and social job resources) after controlling for age, gender, academic rank, and academic disciplines taught. The findings enrich the literature on self-efficacy, job crafting, and organisational commitment. Furthermore, this study has practical implications for academics and university senior managers in their respective efforts to develop academics’ adaptive organisational commitment and enhance the quality of university teaching and research.

Perceptions of the Instructional Research Training Environment and Research Self-Efficacy

Perceptions of the Instructional Research Training Environment and Research Self-Efficacy

Unveiling the Measurement of Self-efficacy in Game-based Learning

This scoping review explores the relationship between self-efficacy and game-based learning (GBL). The study identifies the primary subject areas studied in GBL, such as STEM and language learning, and examines the instruments used to measure self-efficacy. While many studies measured self-efficacy as a dependent variable, some used it as an independent variable alongside other factors. The most commonly used self-efficacy scales are identified. The results suggest that GBL positively impacts self-efficacy, but the improvement in self-efficacy may not match the performance improvement. This review highlights the need for more precise and context-specific measurement of self-efficacy in GBL research, emphasizing the importance of reliable measurement practices.