Undergraduate Education Research Articles

Moving Accreditation Forward With Accreditation Scholarship.

Accreditation in medical education serves to create and sustain a culture of excellence in medical education endeavors. Accreditors in undergraduate medical education, graduate medical education, and continuing professional development spaces on the medical education continuum need to enhance collaboration across international boundaries to develop and implement best practices in medical education accreditation. One opportunity that exists to achieve this is the emerging field of accreditation research, and more broadly, accreditation scholarship. In this commentary, the authors, both professional members of Canadian accreditation committee secretariats (the Committee on the Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools and the Committee on the Accreditation of Continuing Medical Education) highlight accreditation scholarship as tool to support medical education accreditation improvement, growth, and innovation.

The Prevalence of Sexual Misconduct in US Medical Education: Examining the Intersecting Vulnerabilities of Gender and Sexual Orientation.

This study explores the prevalence, characteristics, and correlates of sexual harassment and nonconsensual sexual contact among medical students in the United States (US). The study aims to understand the association between gender, sexual orientation, and these incidents within the context of undergraduate medical education in the US. Employing a cross-sectional approach, this study collected primary data from 23,124 medical students across various US allopathic and osteopathic medical schools. After the data were cleaned, 245 (1% of the targeted population) respondents were included in the final analysis.The focus was on the prevalence and characteristics of sexual harassment and nonconsensual sexual contact and the association of gender and sexual orientation with these experiences. The findings revealed that 12.2% (n = 30) of the respondents experienced nonconsensual sexual contact, with other medical students being the most common perpetrators. A significant association was found between gender, sexual orientation, and the occurrence of unwanted sexual contact, indicating a disproportionate impact on non-heterosexual individuals and females. The study underscores the prevalence of sexual harassment and nonconsensual sexual contact within the US undergraduate medical education, highlighting disparities based on gender and sexual orientation. These results call for the implementation of policies and programs to address sexual misconduct in medical schools. The study elucidates the need for an understanding of the impact of sexual misconducton students attending both allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical programs.

Normal Pregnancy Care and Physiology and Select Pregnancy Complications: A Flipped Classroom Case for the OB/GYN Clerkship.

This module teaches core knowledge and skills for undergraduate medical education in reproductive health, providing instruction in the management of normal and abnormal pregnancy and labor utilizing interactive small-group flipped classroom methods and case-based instruction. Advance preparation materials were provided before the education session. The 2-hour session was facilitated by clinical educators using a faculty guide. Using voluntary surveys, we collected data to measure satisfaction among obstetrics and gynecology clerkship students and facilitators following each education session. Capturing six clerkships spanning 9 months, 116 students participated, and 64 students completed the satisfaction survey, with 97% agreeing that the session was helpful in applying knowledge and principles to common clinical scenarios. Most students (96%) self-reported that they achieved the session's learning objectives utilizing prework and interactive small-group teaching. Nine clinical instructors completed the survey; all agreed the provided materials allowed them to facilitate active learning, and the majority (89%) agreed they spent less time preparing to teach this curriculum compared to traditional didactics. This interactive flipped classroom session meets clerkship learning objectives related to the management of pregnancy and labor using standardized materials. The curriculum reduced preparation time for clinical educators as well.

Social Determinants of Health Education Within Family Medicine Clerkships: A CERA Study.

Social determinants of health (SDoH) education has gained popularity in undergraduate medical education; however, emphasis varies, and the curricula or assessment methods are not uniform. This study sought to examine the current SDoH teaching and assessment methods within family medicine clerkships and to identify characteristics associated with SDoH curriculum with multicomponent (two or more) teaching strategies and higher Kirkpatrick levels of assessment (Level 3-behavior change and Level 4-results). An online survey was conducted through the 2023 Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA) Clerkship Directors Survey. The survey response rate was 56.8% (96/169). The degree of SDoH emphasis in the medical school was positively associated with the number of teaching strategies (r=0.48; P<.001). We found a trend toward degree of SDoH emphasis being associated with higher Kirkpatrick levels of assessment (H[3]=7.83; P=.05). Having an SDoH faculty champion was associated with more teaching strategies (F[1,77]=8.73; P=.004), more types of assessments (F[1,78]=5.88; P=.018), and higher Kirkpatrick levels of assessment (H[1]=4.46; P=.035). Underrepresented in medicine clerkship director identity was not associated with the number of teaching strategies or higher Kirkpatrick levels of assessment. Greater degrees of SDoH emphasis and having a faculty champion were associated, or trended toward association, with multicomponent teaching strategies and higher Kirkpatrick levels of assessment, which prepare students to provide SDoH responsive care that could lead to reduction in health inequities.

Teaching Population Panel Management: A Patient Outreach Activity in a Family Medicine Clerkship.

The delivery of population health education in medical school can be challenging. We developed a patient outreach activity for third-year students to teach them the role of population panel management in primary care. The family medicine undergraduate medical education and population health teams collaborated to develop an educational patient outreach toolkit. After an orientation, family medicine clerkship students were assigned to call patients on their faculty adviser's patient panel to discuss care gaps and identify barriers and potential strategies to improve care. After the experience, students completed reflection questions, which we analyzed. From February to August 2022, 82 third-year medical students participated in the patient outreach activity during their 6-week clerkship. Of the 1,235 total attempted calls, 24% of the patients scheduled their appointments afterward. After analyzing the reflective student feedback, we identified six main takeaways, which focused on the importance of population health, the identification of barriers to care, positive and negative feelings that students experienced when making calls, student self-identified areas of growth, and the fragmentation/inefficiency of the health care system. An opportunity exists to continue to teach students about how to communicate with patients about their health and how to address and improve social determinants of health. This curricular activity can be a step toward efforts to align population health and clinical practice and a way for medical students to add value by educating patients.

Teacher cognition about intercultural communicative competence (ICC): a comparative study of English-major and German-major pre-service teachers in China

This study explored teacher cognition concerning intercultural communicative competence (ICC) among pre-service English and German teachers in China, a context influenced by a rising demand for English as a lingua franca and the increasing significance of the German language due to the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative. Data were gathered from undergraduate pre-service teachers of English (EnS) (n = 54) and German (GeS) (n = 89) using a questionnaire at a Chinese university. The findings revealed that: (1) EnS emphasised ICC-oriented knowledge, attitudes, and critical cultural awareness in their provided definitions of ICC, whereas GeS focused on German proficiency and target ­culture-oriented knowledge; (2) EnS’ length of studying English, abroad experience, and prior teaching experience exhibited varying correlations with their ICC beliefs, whereas only grade level and abroad experience were significantly related to GeS’ cognition about ICC. This study contributes to the broader discourse on teachers teaching different languages and their perceptions of ICC amidst the global landscape shaped by the coexistence of multiple languages and cultures. It concludes by calling for further research examining teacher cognition and influential factors across diverse languages and educational contexts in the realm of ICC.

College, Knowledge, and Class

The author proposes a Marxian class analysis of undergraduate education in U.S. four-year residential colleges and universities, highlighting the role of student labor in the production of courses, degrees, and campus life (college) and in the production of academic learning (knowledge). Undergraduate students are theorized as direct producers within two overlapping class structures: academic feudalism (college) and academic communism (knowledge). The concept of academic communism is argued to be normatively compatible with Marxian and liberal visions of higher education: the Marxian commitment to abolish class exploitation and the liberal commitment to academic freedom. As a constructive response to intensifying criticisms of undergraduate education as we know it, a Marxian view of college and knowledge offers an ethically grounded defense of the core mission of U.S. higher education, centered on undergraduate students and faculty members as coproducers of academic knowledge.

The System Architecture-Function-Outcome Framework for Fostering and Assessing Systems Thinking in First-Year STEM Education and Its Potential Applications in Case-Based Learning

Systems thinking is crucial for understanding and solving complex problems and is considered an important thinking skill in engineering. Active learning is considered an effective approach for fostering STEM students’ systems thinking. However, viable methods for teaching and assessing systems thinking with active learning across STEM disciplines, particularly in first-year undergraduate education, are still under-researched. In this paper, we introduce a research-based framework named System Architecture-Function-Outcome to help first-year STEM instructors both foster and assess students’ introductory systems thinking. To conduct an initial evaluation of the framework’s suitability in active learning settings, we designed a directed case-based learning assignment with an adapted article and a rubric for assessing ‘introductory systems thinking’, as defined in the framework. We deployed the assignment among 84 first-year STEM students and successfully tested its inter-rater reliability, with 75–100% inter-rater agreement across all assessment criteria. We discuss the implications of our results on fostering and assessing first-year STEM students’ systems thinking, and outline examples for potential applications of the framework, pending further validation, in case-based learning settings of varying degrees of learner autonomy, from lecture-based to problem-based learning.

New features in Franck–Hertz experiment with argon: experiment and Monte Carlo simulation

In this work, a homemade apparatus was built to perform the Franck–Hertz experiment with argon. The lowest energy state and the higher energy state of argon can be excited by the Franck–Hertz experiment. The excitation energies of the argon atom are measured by using the setup. The obtained higher excitation energy of argon atoms is 13.73 ± 0.28 eV, for the mixture of higher energy states 3s 23p 53d and 3s 23p 54p. A plate capacitor model was constructed to simulate the inelastic collisions between electrons and argon atoms using the Monte Carlo method. The simulated current curve and electron energy distribution agrees with that of Franck–Hertz experiments, especially the features of higher excited state. The Monte Carlo simulation indicates the deformed electron energy distribution results from the change in excitation proportion of energy levels during the collisions of electrons and argon atoms. Moreover, the new features in Franck–Hertz curve are ascribed to the higher excitation states of argon atoms. The experimental setup has been applied to undergraduate physics experiment teaching in college. Students can perform the Franck–Hertz curve measurement of not only the lowest excited state, but also the higher excited states of argon. In addition, students can do the Monte Carlo simulations for the experimental Franck–Hertz curves and gain a better understanding of electron-argon atom collisions in the experiment. The new designed experiment will make students more familiar with the quantum behavior in atomic physics and quantum mechanics course.

Exploring perspectives: Undergraduate experiences and challenges in online education–A qualitative study in the Greek higher education context

The aim of this qualitative study is to provide an understanding about the experiences and challenges of Greek undergraduate early childhood care and education students that continue their studies online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Numerous studies were carried out worldwide, since March 2020, trying to explore students’ experiences of online education. These studies mainly focused on the issues that arose while studying online education during the pandemic. However, qualitative research on the topic is limited. In this study, a phenomenological perspective will be considered to address the experiences and challenges of early childhood education and care undergraduate university students in online education during the pandemic. The purpose is to inform university lecturers about their future online practices. Overall, 64 undergraduate (62 female and 2 male) students participated in an online open-ended questionnaire and were analyzed with the use of interpretive phenomenological analysis. It was revealed that students were anxious studying in a digital learning environment with the main themes that emerged being isolation, lack of motivation and lack of interpersonal communication. However, students expressed their optimism about the successful outcome of the online experience as they showed skills of flexibility and adaptation with regards to the situation. Although Greece does not have a long tradition of online education practices and these students were not enrolled to the course having a distance learning mode in mind, the findings of the study provide evidence that they encountered an overall positive online learning experience.

Interest in Cardiothoracic Surgery Among the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons' Medical Students.

As more integrated cardiothoracic (CT) surgical residency programs are developed, there is increased interest in factors influencing specialty selection during undergraduate medical education. This study aimed to nationally assess interests and perceptions of CT surgery from medical students pursuing surgery and factors influencing such interests. Active members of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons - Medical Student Section were invited to complete an original survey. Means and 95% confidence intervals were calculated and graphed for questions using Likert scale responses. The comparison of mean responses for students in preclinical versus clinical years was assessed by a Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric ANOVA. Differences between response proportions were assessed via Bonferroni Comparison of Column Proportions. There were 306 surveys completed. Interest in CT surgery was indicated by 10.24% of respondents with preclinical students comprising 84.3% of those responses. Most students interested in CT surgery experienced certain factors including clinical exposure (78.4%), shadowing (81.8%), volunteering (57.1%), and significant personal/life events (86.2%) before medical school. Preclinical students noted exposure to CT surgery during preclinical years would further increase their interest when compared to clinical students (μ=4.12 versus μ=3.51, P<0.000). Importantly, clinical students feel significantly less supported by their school to pursue CT surgery compared to preclinical students (μ=2.45 versus μ=3.40, P<0.000). All factors establishing interest in CT surgery occurred before students entered medical school and during preclinical years. While there are negative perceptions associated with CT surgery, these may be ameliorated with increased support and resources for CT surgery during the preclinical years.

Evaluation of the influence of elective postings in accordance with the competency-based undergraduate medical education pattern on the development of research abilities in students

Background: As per the revised competency-based medical education guidelines given by the National medical council of India, students are offered elective posting after the first part of 3rd phase of the medical professional course. This has been started from the year 2023. There will be various postings offered and at end of the posting they will be assessed on various domains. Aims and Objectives: Our study aims to assess the impact of elective posting on the research skills and students’ perception toward it. It also aims to identify the best methods to implement elective postings. Materials and Methods: In the year 2023, using a complete enumeration technique 86 students from the third phase of MBBS at a medical college in Maharashtra, India, were registered for the 2 months of elective and would be questioned twice following consent using a pre-validated questionnaire. The first interview will take place following the completion of the first block of elective posting, and the second interview will take place following the conclusion of the second block of elective posting. Results: We observed a statistically significant difference when two blocks were compared on the domains of efforts. Students have reported higher efforts toward clinical and surgical postings. We also observed that students reported a statistically significant level of frustration in block two. In our study, we found that research work was taken more during the second block as students were sensitized in the first block regarding research. Conclusion: In our study, we have observed that research activities are taken up and processed for presentation using biostatistics in the second block of elective if resource material and support are provided in the block one. Students develop a better understanding of research with proper training.

Morphology of Perforated Cervicothoracic Ganglion in Indian Cadavers

Abstract Background: Cervicothoracic ganglion (CTG) has surgical significance for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic regional pain syndromes, herpes zoster, refractory angina, vascular occlusive disorders, etc. Rarely, CTG could be perforated by the vertebral artery (VA), which might lead to complications during the ganglionic block. The present study describes the morphology of perforated CTG in Indian cadavers. Methodology: The present study included 25 formalin-embalmed cadavers (male – 18, female – 7) that were utilized for undergraduate teaching in the department of anatomy from 2017 to 2021. Out of 25 cadavers, two specimens on the right side were excluded from the study due to adhesion and damage to the ganglion. A total of 48 specimens (right – 23; left – 25) were included in the study and analyzed for the perforated CTG. Results: CTG was observed in 87.5% of the specimens and the inferior cervical ganglion in 12.5%. Perforated CTG was observed in four specimens (9.52%) exclusively on the left where the VA pierced at its superior pole or middle. The perforated CTG was found exclusively on the left, and in all four specimens, the VA was a branch from the subclavian artery. Conclusion: An analysis of the morphology of perforated CTG in Indian cadavers revealed its significant occurrence in the present study. It is crucial to consider the risk of injuring the VA during a CTG block. Understanding this variation could aid anesthetists, neurosurgeons, and surgeons in preventing complications during the therapeutic and diagnostic ganglionic blocks.

The Status and Inspiration of General School Teachers’ Inclusive Education Literacy from an International Comparative Perspective

Teachers in general schools with inclusive education literacy are one of the conditions for children with special needs to receive high-quality general education, as well as an essential guarantee for providing an excellent education to the people and building a solid education country. This paper uses data from the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS 2018), use the hierarchical cluster method to investigate the characteristics of teachers’ preparedness status for inclusive literacy in general schools from an international comparative perspective. The findings revealed that the inclusive literacy preparedness of general school teachers worldwide can be classified into three types: younger-highly inclusive literacy teachers, advanced age-medium inclusive literacy teachers, and highly educated-low inclusive literacy teachers. Younger-highly inclusive literacy teachers are characterized by rejuvenation, a high degree of undergraduate education, an emphasis on pre-service education, and an oversupply of professional development activities. Advanced age-medium inclusive literacy teachers are characterized by aging, incomplete pre-service education training, and the most urgent need for teachers’ professional development in information technology. Highly educated-low inclusive literacy teachers are distinguished by highly educated, low levels of pre-service education, and an abundance of professional development opportunities for teachers. School administrators are advised to prioritize ongoing professional development activities for teachers to speed teacher education integration and increase teacher and educational quality.

해외 대학의 학부교육 개편 사례 비교 연구

[Purpose] The purpose of this study is to explore the modification of the university model in three post-colonial institutions—the University of Hong Kong, the National University of Singapore, and the University of Melbourne—which share the legacy of the British undergraduate education model that emphasizes specialization in specific majors. This study aims to analyze the background and content of the recent undergraduate education reforms undertaken by these universities and to investigate the similarities and differences in their processes of transformation. [Methods] This study applied a multi-case analysis and compared commonalities and differences between case universities by analyzing various literature data (prior studies, research reports, media articles, university websites, and official documents. [Results] Common drivers for undergraduate education reform include global higher education norms that emphasize competence-based education to enhance graduate employability and bolster internationalization strategies. Consequently, all case universities reinforced the general education component and increased flexibility in curriculum structure, moving away from the British legacy of specialization in specific disciplines. However, the specific drivers and content of the reforms varied depending on the institutional context, resulting in each case university developing distinct formats of undergraduate education models. [Conclusion] The results of this study revealed that, although the case universities incorporated various components from the US education model, these borrowing practices did not necessarily result in homogeneity among the three institutions. Furthermore, the study identified a hybridity in the university education models of some case universities, which selectively integrated educational models from various regions during the process of undergraduate education reform. Based on these findings, theoretical and policy implications were presented.

Gambaran Performa Instruktur Clinical Skill lab pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19 di Fakultas Kedokteran UMI

Skill labs are an important means for students to practice clinical skills, prepare them to achieve competency standards during their undergraduate education, and prepare themselves before entering professional education. Skill lab involves practicing communication skills, physical examination, as well as medical actions and invasive procedures. This study aims to determine the performance of clinical Skill lab instructors during the Covid-19 pandemic at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Muslim Indonesia (UMI), Class of 2019. Using a cross-sectional design, all respondents filled out a questionnaire through the Google Form application. Of the 155 respondents, 96.1% rated the instructor's teaching skills as good and very good, 92.9% rated the instructor's interpersonal and communication skills as good, and 92.9% rated the clinical skills training conditions or strategies at FK UMI as good. In general, the performance of clinical Skill lab instructors during the Covid-19 pandemic at FK UMI Class of 2019 is considered good based on student perceptions.

Evolution of Practice in Undergraduate Architecture Education through Institutional Formations

Practice has always had an important place in the basis of architectural education, which exists with the mentoringsystem. With the influence of studio culture, practice has been relatively more prominent than theory in architectureundergraduate education. While the practical tendency in architectural education, which became theoretical withBauhaus, takes place in workshops, an architectural education pedagogy is shaped in research-practice intersectionswith environments such as the Space Syntax Laboratory established at UCL. It can be said that technology plays anactive role in the orientation of education. This study investigates the question 'How has the practical approach inarchitectural education been transformed?’ By using the historical research method, it examines the methods andenvironments of the realization of practice in architectural education. It reveals architectural education within fivedistinct periods: The ancient period, the Renaissance period, the Modern period, the Post-modern period, and theContemporary period. The convergences and disconnections between the workplace, competition, studio, andlaboratory, which are determined as the environments of practice in architectural education, are analyzed. As a result,it aims to provide a critical analysis of the current opportunities and future practice possibilities that practice offers toarchitectural education.

Research Experience through the Lens of Undergraduate Filipino Pre-Service Physical Educators: An Interpretative Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study

The preparation of pre-service teachers, particularly in conducting research, is an important aspect of teacher training in the Philippine context, where challenges in various dimensions of the academic milieu exist. This interpretative hermeneutic phenomenological (IHP) study delved into the experiences of undergraduate Filipino pre-service physical educators (PSPEs) about the intricacies of research and thesis writing. The study aimed to unravel the lived experiences of these students throughout the research process to clarify how they make sense of these experiences. Conducted at a teacher education institution in Pampanga, the Philippines, 10 PSPEs who had completed their theses participated in the study. Employing a qualitative design, the IHP study used face-to-face in-depth interviews guided by a semi-structured interview protocol guide. Rigorous IHP analytical protocols were utilized to illustrate meanings from the data transcripts, while ensuring trustworthiness and rigor. The findings revealed that research, for the PSPEs, is not merely a technical pursuit but a combination of emotions requiring coordinated actions. For them, research demands fortitude and courage, accompanied by multiple challenges that, when overcome, lead to a fulfilling pursuit. The PSPEs view research as an investment for their future personal and professional undertakings. Considering these findings, a general recommendation is made for teacher education institutions to incorporate holistic support mechanisms that address the technical facets of research and the socio-emotional dimensions, especially for pre-service teachers, to ensure resilience and confidence as they pursue this challenging, yet rewarding, endeavor.

English day: Impact on motivation of english language teaching undergraduates

English day: Impact on motivation of english language teaching undergraduates

Locus of control as a predictor of procrastination in employed and non-working education undergraduates

Introduction. The article examines how employment influences various aspects of prospective students’ personal, professional and academic development. The purpose of the study is to identify the relationship between the locus of control and the degree of procrastination in working and non–working students of a pedagogical university. Materials and Methods. The authors used the following research methods: an analytical literature review, a comparative analytical literature review, terminological analysis, as well as quantitative, qualitative and interpretative methods. Quantitative and qualitative methods included testing with subsequent interpretation of the results based on Spearman and Pearson statistical criteria. Using the generally accepted methodology for studying the locus of control, the study used J. Rotter’s method of studying the locus of control and a questionnaire on procrastination. The sample included 111 students of the pedagogical university. Results. The article presents a theoretical review and the results of the study on procrastination and the locus of control in education students working and not working within the educational system. Based on the data obtained, the relationships between a high level of procrastination and various parameters of the locus of control were revealed. Conclusions. Based on the testing, statistically significant differences in the level of procrastination were revealed among students who combine university studies and employment in the education system.