Undergraduate Education Research Articles

The Exploration and Innovation of Social Demand-oriented Vocational College English Education

An important part of undergraduate education is to enhance students employability and provide strong support for deepening talent education. Therefore, this paper analyzes the advantages of social demand-oriented English teaching for vocational undergraduates, puts forward the breakthrough point of college English teaching for vocational undergraduates, focuses on exploring the teaching plan of college English education for vocational undergraduates guided by social needs, strengthens the integration of educational resources, and innovates the teaching model.

Students’ use of generative artificial intelligence for proving mathematical statements

AbstractIn this exploratory study, we investigate undergraduate students’ engagement with generative Artificial Intelligence (genAI) in proving mathematical statements. We selected six mathematical statements to conduct interviews with three students. We present the emergent framework, Students’ Interactive Proving Experience with AI (SIPE-AI), which explains the processes of students’ use of genAI in their proving and the factors influencing these processes. Our findings identify three factors that shape students’ use of genAI: conceptions of proof, conceptions of genAI, and ethical considerations. The results suggest a need to guide undergraduate students in critically engaging with genAI tools, rather than passively accepting their outputs. We also discuss the implications of these findings for enhancing undergraduate mathematics education by fostering informed and critical use of genAI in mathematical proving.

Defining evolution: exploring students’ conceptions of evolution in introductory biology courses

BackgroundUnderstanding evolution is an important part of undergraduate biology education. Despite its importance, however, students often struggle to understand evolution, often holding preconceived notions of what evolution is. Here, we investigate how students in both majors and non-majors introductory biology define and conceive of evolution at the start of the semester for a two-year college and a four-year university near each other. We analyze open-ended responses to an in-class activity on the first day of the semester that asked students to define evolution, generating insight into how students are thinking of evolution prior to any formal instruction on evolution in college.ResultsOur analysis of over 300 student responses reveals that students hold diverse conceptions about evolution, with some students perceiving evolution in the context of evolutionary processes while other students define evolution by referring to perceived evolutionary consequences. In addition, we identify multiple non-normative conceptions about evolution, including students viewing evolution and natural selection as synonymous and not recognizing other evolutionary forces, and find that very few students likely have developed mental models linking evolution and genetics. In addition, we find few differences between how students at the two- and four-year institutions perceive evolution, and similarly few differences between students in a majors and non-majors introductory biology, suggesting that these conceptions of evolution are widespread at the beginning of introductory biology, regardless of major or institution.ConclusionsWe situate our results in the existing literature examining student conceptions of evolution, with our results extending past work that has primarily relied on more closed-ended questions or focused on specific evolutionary concepts (e.g., natural selection). Our results largely align with past work on student thinking of evolution but provide a broader, more holistic perspective at the ideas and framework that students are drawing upon when introductory biology instructors first introduce the term ‘evolution’. We conclude our paper by discussing implications for the biology education research community as well as instructors.

Faculty application and perceived effectiveness of cognitive psychology principles in medical education. A mixed method study

ObjectiveThe objective of the study was to explore the extent to which faculty members in undergraduate medical education apply cognitive psychology principles in their teaching practices, and to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of these principles in enhancing student learning.MethodsThis mixed method study was conducted on faculty members of public and private sector universities. Focused group discussions were conducted, and the responses of the participants were measured on a 5-point- Likert Scale. The instrument was tested for validity and reliability by measuring Cronbach’s alpha and performing exploratory factor analysis. Mann–Whitney U test was applied on the attributes scores to compare 13 attributes by institutions, designations and domains.ResultsOne theme, 7 sub-themes and 19 categories were identified from the focused group discussion. as Kaiser- Meyer-Olkin index was 0.88 and Bartlett’s test of sphericity was significant. Reliability was established at 0.95. The faculty self-perceived practicing psychology principles mostly scored in the middle level, where they think they apply less strategies. While highly significant results were noted for using Meyer’s multimedia principles.ConclusionFaculty members followed the principles of cognitive psychology to some extent. However, they all felt that using these principles can transform the teaching and learning of medical education.

Nurturing compassion and cultural humility in health professions students through a brief mindfulness practice

ObjectiveGiven the importance of compassion and cultural humility in healthcare providers, the study aspired to investigate the effects of a brief mindfulness practice on compassion and cultural humility in health professions students. MethodsA quantitative, one-group pre-test/post-test study was conducted with 58 participants from undergraduate health profession education programs in the United States. Participants completed questionnaires measuring mindfulness, compassion, and cultural humility before and after engaging in an eight-minute loving-kindness meditation exercise three to four times per week for two weeks. ResultsThere were statistically significant increases in mindfulness, compassion, and cultural humility after participants engaged in the brief loving-kindness meditation exercise, with small to moderate effect sizes. ConclusionBrief mindfulness practices may be helpful for cultivating essential qualities such as compassion and cultural humility in health professions students. InnovationThe findings add to the research gap about the effects of mindfulness on health professions students' compassion and cultural humility. Using mindfulness as a training tool in health professions education may foster compassion, cultural humility, and mindfulness in health professions students who will become healthcare providers, addressing individual health concerns but also broader social issues related to social justice and health equity.

Undergraduate level vocational education industry and business enterprise management professional course teaching reform

This paper aims to delve into the teaching reform of undergraduate-level business administration programs and explore best practices and strategies. With the continuous evolution of the business environment and the rise of globalization, business administration programs face new challenges and opportunities. In order to nurture graduates capable of meeting modern business demands, educational institutions must actively reform their curriculum. This paper will explore in-depth how to successfully implement reforms in undergraduate education, including best practices and strategies in curriculum design, teaching methods, teacher training, and student engagement. Through case studies and literature reviews, this paper will provide practical recommendations for improving business administration program curricula.

How is primary care nursing embedded in nursing undergraduate curricula: A mixed‐method study from four countries

AbstractIntroductionGiven the increase in the primary care nursing workforce and the need to further grow nursing roles in the community understanding how this is included in undergraduate education is important. This study aimed to explore the inclusion of primary care in the undergraduate nursing education curriculum of four countries.MethodA mixed‐method design was employed to obtain a broader context of primary care nursing in nursing education and teaching approaches relating to primary care nursing. Subsequently, Australia, Canada, Spain, and Ireland were selected for this study because primary healthcare systems are established as a part of their healthcare system.ResultsIn total, 136 nursing faculties (40 in Australia, 35 in Canada, 46 in Spain, and 15 in Ireland) were invited to participate in this study. Of these, 27 responses were obtained (19.8% response rate). Following the survey phase, in‐depth interviews were conducted with 13 participants. The results indicated that the highest number was coded within the theme of “Understanding of PHC in the curriculum” (n = 108). The second highest number (n = 87) was within the theme of “Interpretation differences of PHC in curriculum,” and the third highest (n = 31) was coded within “Policy impact on health by national government and others.”ConclusionThe results emphasized the ambiguity of primary care within the undergraduate nursing curriculum and that interpretation and implementation into the curriculum largely depended on the school's intentions.

An inclusive Research and Education Community (iREC) model to facilitate undergraduate science education reform

An inclusive Research and Education Community (iREC) model to facilitate undergraduate science education reform

Data Analysis Technology in Undergraduate Finance and Auditing Education

In the context of the technological revolution and the flourishing digital economy, data analysis technology is increasingly applied across various industries. Specifically, in the fields of finance and auditing, data analysis technology not only enhances the efficiency of data processing and decision-making but also promotes the transformation of undergraduate teaching models. This study aims to explore the application of data analysis technology in undergraduate finance and auditing education by analyzing its theoretical foundation, current development, practical applications, and future directions. The research finds that while data analysis technology can significantly improve teaching outcomes, it also faces challenges such as data acquisition and processing, teaching resources and equipment, and faculty training.

A Literature Review on Coaching Methods for Tutoring Students in Undergraduate Education

Recently, the integration of coaching methodologies within educational environments has garnered significant attention due to their potential to enhance student learning outcomes and overall academic performance. While the literature extensively examines the effectiveness of coaching in a plethora of scenarios (e.g., sports, business, and entrepreneurship), there remains a notable research gap regarding its application within undergraduate educational environments, where coachees have unique characteristics in terms of background, age/maturity, resources availability, and population size. This literature review aims to address this gap by synthesizing existing research on the implementation of coaching strategies in educational settings and how they can cope with a large number of students. Through a comprehensive analysis, this study elucidates the current state of knowledge, identifies prevailing methodologies, and evaluates the outcomes associated with employing coaching techniques in group contexts. Moreover, this work explores the potential benefits and challenges of utilizing coaching strategies in group sessions, offering insights into their scalability and applicability within diverse educational settings. The findings of this review underscore the importance of further research in this domain to advance our understanding of how coaching methodologies can be effectively adapted to facilitate collaborative learning experiences and promote student success on a broader scale. Ultimately, this study advocates for the integration of group coaching approaches as a promising avenue for enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of traditional tutoring and mentoring practices in education.

Health Care for LGBTQ+ Youth: A Case-Based Workshop for Medical Students and Pediatric Residents.

Undergraduate medical education and graduate medical education lack formal curricula on providing care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) youth. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to further challenges in delivering engaging, patient-centered education on LGBTQ+ health. We developed a 90-minute case-based LGBTQ+ health curriculum delivered twice: to fourth-year medical students (in person only) and to pediatric residents (in-person and virtual options). Learners worked in small groups to engage in self-directed learning to review cases with associated questions, followed by a faculty-facilitated discussion and didactic component. Additionally, residents received a 45-minute patient-and-caregiver panel to explore lived experiences within the trans and nonbinary community. Retrospective pre-post surveys assessing knowledge, comfort, and perceived clinical impact were analyzed via paired t tests and descriptive statistics. Sixty-two learners completed our evaluation, including 19 residents and 43 medical students. After the curriculum, we noted significant improvement in learners' perceived knowledge and comfort in all surveyed competencies; >90% of learners noted the curriculum was well organized and engaging, with the patient-caregiver panel marked as a highlight. A multimodal curriculum using case-based, problem-based learning and a patient-caregiver panel can be a promising method of providing interactive and up-to-date education on LGBTQ+ health care. This model can also be used to provide education on other medical education topics that are constantly evolving and lack national standardization.

Station Numbers and Duration: Factors Affecting the Validity of OSCE - A Review Article

Context: Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is one of the student assessment methods currently used in both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. This paper reviews evidence related to key factors influenced by the number and duration of OSCE stations. The aim of our study was to broaden current knowledge of the effective components of OSCE design. Although many OSCE designers have doubts about the optimal number and duration of OSCE stations, this issue has not been adequately addressed so far. Methods: The search was conducted through the databases of ScienceDirect, Eric, PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, and Google Scholar. English language papers, including original and review articles, without a time limit until 2022, were included. This review was conducted on papers selected using the keywords: Objective structured clinical examination, OSCE, duration of station, number of stations, utility, validity, reliability, cost, budget, finance, skill, competency. Results: The findings have been validated by scrutinizing OSCE-related skills, reliability, validity, and cost evaluations incorporating OSCE design. These results revealed that key factors to consider in OSCE design include skills, reliability, validity, and cost. Conclusions: Our findings could have a profound impact on the design of OSCE structures in medical education worldwide.

Retrospect and Prospect of E-C Translation Teaching for Undergraduates of English Majors

In the past 20 years (2003-2023), many scholars have conducted various studies on E-C translation teaching for undergraduates of English majors based on different theories and perspectives. Through these studies, researchers have clarified the basic development of E-C translation teaching in China. These studies are interdisciplinary and they demonstrate the characteristic of multiple perspectives. This paper reviews the E-C translation teaching for undergraduates of English majors in China in the past 20 years based on representative studies. We found that E-C translation teaching research for undergraduates of English majors mainly emphasize three aspects: the interdisciplinary study of translation teaching, the problems in translation teaching, and the coping strategies in response to them. Once the weaknesses of E-C translation teaching for undergraduates of English majors are solved, translation teaching can be improved.

Improving undergraduate education in immunology through assessment of interdisciplinary scientific knowledge.

The interdisciplinary nature of immunology can make studying not only engaging but also challenging, as understanding immunologic processes and immune system components requires foundational knowledge from severalscience disciplines. The University of Alabama at Birmingham has aunique, 4-year, Undergraduate Immunology Program (UIP) that provides a comprehensive curriculum in immunology that includes five core courses starting in the second year, at which point, students are in the process of completing basic science sequences. For this study, students in courses across the UIP curriculum were asked to identify basic science topics that relate to four immunology concepts. In addition, students were surveyed on their confidence in understanding each of the basic science topics and were asked to identify the course in which they felt that they had fully learned the topic. Data from this study did not demonstrate a change in students' interdisciplinary science competency from the second to fourth year. Importantly, students reported that they fully understood 11 out of 12 basic science concepts in courses offered in their first and second years, with confidence in basic science topics significantly improving from the second to third year. The lack of demonstrated improvement in interdisciplinary understanding across the curriculum may be attributed to the fact that students are able to integrate basic science topics with foundational immunologic concepts as early as their second year. Importantly, these findings suggest that the integration or review of basic science topics in an immunology course may improve students' comprehension of foundational immunology concepts and interdisciplinary science competency.

A scoping review of Deaf awareness programs in Health professional education.

Deaf awareness aims to promote understanding about Deaf and hard of hearing people, with the goal of reducing barriers between Deaf and hearing populations; and is particularly pertinent for health professional students as they need to learn to communicate effectively with a range of population groups. This scoping review aims to provide an overview of literature examining Deaf awareness programs provided to health professional students during their initial training. We searched four medical and public health databases and registers using terms related to Deaf awareness. We used the PRISMA-ScR reporting standards checklist for scoping reviews. We identified 10,198 citations, with 15 studies included in the final review. Searches were performed during August to September 2022, and April 2023. Studies were included provided they examined Deaf awareness content or programs within health professional education. Data were extracted by two independent reviewers who screened all abstracts using Rayyan software, followed by discussion to achieve knowledge synthesis and agreement. In all, a total of 15 articles from six countries were identified across health professional student disciplines including pharmacy, nursing, audiology, inter-professional and medical programs. The review found sparse evidence of research into Deaf awareness programs delivered to health professional students, with delivery often solely to small groups of students, indicating why so few students can access information about how to communicate effectively with Deaf and hard of hearing patients during their initial training programs. This scoping reviewed showed evidence of promising benefits for health professional students undertaking Deaf awareness programs during their undergraduate education. The importance of communicating with Deaf and hard of hearing patients and attaining Deaf cultural competencies for health professional students should be investigated in future research.

Sexual and gender minority health: a roadmap for developing evidence-based medical school curricula.

Educating future physicians about sexual and gender minority (SGM) patients and their health care needs is an important way to mitigate discrimination and health disparities faced by this community. Canada, across its 17 medical schools, lacks a national standard for teaching this essential topic. This paper aims to review the best practices for teaching an SGM curriculum in undergraduate medical education and synthesize this information into actionable propositions for curriculum development. A scoping literature review was conducted to identify best practices for SGM teaching. The review elicited peer-reviewed and grey literature on best practices for SGM teaching, policy documents, and opinion pieces from medical education authorities and SGM advocacy groups. Through an iterative process with all authors, the Canadian Queer Medical Students Association (CQMSA), and the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC), a set of propositions was developed. The search yielded 1347 papers, of which 89 were kept for data extraction. The main outcomes of these papers were sorted along five repeating themes, which formed the basis for six propositions; two more propositions were then added after discussion with all authors. We present eight propositions for the development of a national standard for SGM education at the undergraduate medical level. These include standardizing learning objectives across all schools, using established curricular models to guide curriculum development, interweaving concepts across all levels of training, diversifying teaching modalities, providing faculty training, ensuring a safe space for SGM students and faculty, using OSCEs as a teaching tool, and involving the local SGM community in curriculum development and delivery.

Navigating undergraduate medical education: a comparative evaluation of a fully online versus a hybrid model

BackgroundThe evaluation of undergraduate medical curricula plays a crucial role in ensuring effectiveness and helps in continuous improvement of the learning process. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of online and hybrid teaching models of the first-year MBBS curriculum in the COVID-19 era (2019–20) and the para-COVID-19 pandemic (2020–21).Study methodologyMixed methods study with CIPP model was used. Data was collected by administering a survey and focus group discussions (FGDs) with first-year students from the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 cohorts, faculty and administrators, which were recorded for analysis. Recorded lectures, guidebooks, planners, and question papers were also scrutinized for quality and adequacy. Furthermore, admission merit, module assessments, and professional examination results were compared and correlated. The learning environment was evaluated through the questionnaire (validated and used by Pakistan Medical and Dental council for inspections of medical schools) and the facilities provided in both years were juxtaposed. The study utilized NVIVO for qualitative and SPSS version 23 for quantitative data analysis.ResultsContextual analysis underscored the critical need for online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, with provided resources being deemed sufficient. Notably, the student-faculty ratio stood at 4:1, and essential resources were readily available. The fully online batch outperformed the hybrid teaching class in 2020–21. Process analysis revealed successful session delivery in hybrid and online through webinars and Zoom, accompanied by timely provision of study guides and punctual assessments. Moreover, examination papers demonstrated acceptable reliability (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.61) in core subjects. Product analysis indicated that the 2020–21 cohort performed better in modular and professional examinations across all subjects (P < 0.01) despite their lower admission merit compared to the 2019–20 batch.ConclusionsThe study revealed challenges faced during total online teaching, highlighting knowledge and skills gaps in students. While students favored hybrid teaching for interaction, faculty preferred online strategies and suggested blended learning. The administration recognized faculty’s swift transition but stressed the need for blended learning workshops and strengthening the medical education department. Recommendations include implementing blended learning strategies, conducting faculty workshops, equipping the medical education department for online teaching, and gathering student feedback after each module to enhance the curriculum.

Impact of Ethical Awareness on Engineering Identity Formation Using Ordinary Least Squares Analysis

&lt;p style="text-align:justify"&gt;The 21st century marks a world where scientific, humanistic, technological, and societal issues are integrated. The complexity caused by the reciprocal effects among technology, engineering, cultural, and social values raises new ethical problems. This study addresses recent increased attention to the relationship between ethical awareness and engineering identity factors. Participants in this study were 246 undergraduate engineering students enrolled in a research university located in the northeast U.S. Bivariate correlation and ordinary least squares regression were conducted. Bivariate correlations showed that ethical awareness was positively correlated to engineering interest, engineering recognition, and engineering performance/competence, which are the three factors of engineering identity. The OLS regression showed the r2 value for the computed regression equation indicated that there was a non-zero relationship between the set of all independent variables (engineering identity factors, gender, ethnicity, years in school, and first-generation status) and the dependent (ethical awareness) and that the final set of independent variables accounted for approximately 22% of the variation in the dependent variable, Ethical Awareness. Undergraduate engineering education is a key to ensuring engineers will uphold the ethical values of the profession. This study contributes to the practical value of engineering ethics awareness by affirming that engineering identity is sound and should be applied in practice.&lt;/p&gt;

How Internal Medicine Clerkship Directors Are Using Entrustable Professional Activities: A National Survey Study.

In the present assessment environment in undergraduate medical education at U.S. medical schools, the prevalence and implementation of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) in internal medicine (IM) clerkships are not well understood. To describe the prevalence and approach to EPA use in U.S. IM clerkships. Cross-sectional, nationally representative survey of core IM clerkship directors. One-hundred forty IM clerkship directors at Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited U.S./U.S. territory-based allopathic medical schools with membership in the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine (CDIM) as of December 2022. Use of EPAs in IM core clerkships, including use for grading, types of EPAs, use of supportive measures for assessment, and current validity frameworks. The survey response was 80% (112/140); two additional respondents completed the section on EPA use (n = 114). Approximately half of respondents (47%) reported their IM clerkship used EPAs. Among schools accredited after 1977, a higher percentage was associated with having incorporated EPAs (p = 0.03). The Association of American Medical Colleges Core EPAs for Entering Residency (CEPAER) was the most common framework used by Clerkship Directors (CDs) for developing EPAs (55%). Most CDs (56%) used EPAs for both formative and summative assessments, and approximately half of CDs (48%) used EPAs for a portion of the final grade determination. CDs who used EPAs were no more likely to report efforts to ensure the validity of assessment, the use of faculty development, or that written assessments were a valid measure of students' performance compared to those who did not use EPAs. Although EPAs have experienced substantial uptake in the IM clerkship and contribute to formative and summative assessment of learners, their use does not appear to be associated with enhanced efforts to obtain validity information.

Reimagining Undergraduate Critical Care Medical Education: A Path for the Next Decade.

Foundational training in critical care medicine is an integral part of both undergraduate and graduate medical education. Yet, many medical school graduates enter residency underprepared to care for critically ill patients because of a lack of ubiquity of undergraduate critical care education and the heterogeneity of existing didactic and clinical experiences. This Perspective explores the importance of undergraduate critical care education, the current national and international landscape, innovative educational strategies and exemplar curricula, and recent advances in assessment that may better reflect learner-centered educational outcomes. As broad curricular reforms push medical education toward a more innovative, interactive, and collaborative future, now is the time to rethink and reimagine undergraduate critical care education.