Undergraduate Education Research Articles

Community-Engaged Learning: Centering Public Health in Undergraduate Education by Examining Food Insecurity in the Tampa Bay Area

Community-engaged learning (CEL) is a “hands-on” approach to introducing undergraduate students to public health methods and theory in local contexts. CEL bridges academic theory and real-world practice by civic development and learning while addressing real-world problems, community needs, and interests. By applying public health theory and methods, students examined food insecurity and inequity in the Tampa Bay area by working in a community food garden and food distribution center to examine the social, economic, and environmental conditions that influence food insecurity. There were several learning outcomes for the students’ CEL experience, such as increasing the understanding of social issues through participation in the community, understanding the importance of offering culturally appropriate food, and examining how food insecurity is perpetuated by structural, social, and racial barriers within their community. This paper will discuss the process of creating community partnerships for CEL, student assignments, students feedback and reflection about their CEL experiences, and future recommendations for integrating CEL into undergraduate courses.

A survey of essential anatomy from the perspective of anesthesiology, emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and orthopedics resident physicians

BackgroundRecent changes in anatomy curricula in undergraduate medical education (UME), including pedagogical changes and reduced time, pose challenges for foundational learning. Consequently, it is important to ask clinicians what anatomical content is important for their clinical specialty, which when taken collectively, can inform curricular development.MethodsThis study surveyed 55 non-primary care residents in anesthesiology (AN; N = 6), emergency medicine (EM; N = 15), obstetrics and gynecology (OB; N = 13), and orthopedics (OR; N = 21) to assess the importance of 907 anatomical structures across all anatomical regions. Survey ratings by participants were converted into a post-hoc classification system to provide end-users of this data with an intuitive and useful classification system for categorizing individual anatomical structures (i.e., essential, more important, less important, not important).ResultsSignificant variability was observed in the classifications of essential anatomy: 29.1% of all structures were considered essential by OB residents, 37.6% for AN residents, 41.6% for EM residents, and 72.0% for OR residents. Significant differences (with large effect sizes) were also observed between residency groups: OR residents rated anatomy of the back, limbs, and pelvis and perineum anatomy common to both sexes significantly higher, whereas OB residents rated the pelvis and perineum anatomy common to both sexes and anatomy for individuals assigned female at birth highest. Agreement in classifications of importance among residents was observed for selected anatomical structures in the thorax, abdomen, pelvis and perineum (assigned male at birth-specific anatomy), and head and neck. As with the ratings of anatomical structures, OR residents had the highest classification across all nine tissue types (p < 0.01).ConclusionsThe present study created a database of anatomical structures assessed from a clinical perspective that may be considered when determining foundational anatomy for UME curriculum, as well as for graduate medical education.

Analysis of the Construction of Core Literacy of Students in Vocational Undergraduate Education

Vocational undergraduate education has evolved from its initial stages to a full-scale implementation, achieving historic milestones along the way. However, its appeal still lags significantly behind that of general education. The development of students’ core competencies in vocational undergraduate education faces several challenges, including the need for improvements in top-level design, a stronger focus on connotation development, and an upgraded linkage mechanism. To address these issues, it is suggested to refine the top-level design, enhance internal motivation, and build a robust vocational education ecosystem.

Students’ Interactions and Communication Skills Towards Their Maximum Learning

This paper explores the critical role of interaction and communication skills in educational Settings, especially in the context of higher education in China, and analyzes the impact of these skills on maximizing student learning outcomes. The paper emphasizes the importance of effective interaction and communication as core elements in the process of language learning, because language acquisition and ability development depend on the effective combination of input and output. The paper proposes that a comprehensive educational reform is necessary to address the identified communication barriers of students, aiming at promoting the improvement of students' interaction and communication skills. Such reforms are essential to achieve the goal of high-quality undergraduate education and to develop innovative and communicative skills.

Goal orientation of regular and working undergraduate students in the first year of college: A phenomenological study

Purpose: Working individuals pursue higher education for various reasons, including improving qualifications, developing expertise, increasing income, career change, fulfilling personal aspirations, and adapting to technological advancements. Goal orientation is crucial for students to manage time, and stress, and achieve goals. This study aims to determine differences in goal orientation between regular and working students and to conduct further research on this topic. Methods: phenomenological qualitative research with a semi-structured interview method. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) analysis technique. Subjects of this research are students and female students of University "X" in the early semester (1-2 semester) with an age range of 19-40 years old. The subjects of this study were students who met the criteria set by the researcher and were willing to be respondents to the study, obtained a total of 6 people, and were willing to be respondents to the study. Results: The study reveals that regular students prioritize obtaining achievements and a better career, while working students focus on mastering science for their profession and facilitating career promotion, highlighting the differences in undergraduate education. Conclusion: goal orientation owned by regular and working students in continuing their studies is divided into two, namely performance orientation and mastery orientation.

Identifying factors associated with instructor implementation of three-dimensional assessment in undergraduate biology courses.

Recent national calls to transform undergraduate science education have centered on engaging students in scientific practices as a means to help them develop deeper insights into science. The three-dimensional framework for science education encapsulates the goals of these national calls by recommending that instructors integrate scientific practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas throughout their courses. Prior research has found that introductory undergraduate biology exams contain few three-dimensional items suggesting that instructors likely face barriers in meeting the goals of national calls. To better understand these putative challenges, we explored factors potentially associated with three-dimensional alignment. Our generalized linear mixed model indicated that instructors who used three-dimensional items on their exams were more likely to use Bloom's Taxonomy when designing their exams and were more likely to write these items using a constructed-response format. We also found that professional development opportunities did not necessarily change the likelihood an instructor would employ three-dimensional items. We previously identified that few items in our sample fully aligned to scientific practices, making scientific practices the limiting dimension for three-dimensional alignment. Our subsequent analysis here revealed that most biology instructors had exam items that were at least partially aligned to scientific practices. Based on our results, we highlight the significant time and resources that instructors likely need to write and grade constructed-response assessments, suggest that instructors build on items that are mostly aligned to scientific practices to increase their three-dimensional alignment, and propose ways that professional development programs and communities might further support instructors in meeting national calls.

From outdated to outstanding: an institution’s journey in reforming the dental materials science curriculum and lessons learned

BackgroundThe Dental Materials Science (DMS) course within Malaysian undergraduate dental education has traditionally been taught in isolation, with a relatively stagnant delivery mode. Recent shifts in national dental competency standards have necessitated substantial reform in the DMS curriculum. This study aims to outline the journey of a local dental institute in developing and implementing a competency-based DMS curriculum.MethodsA faculty curriculum task force was established to oversee the curriculum reform process. The reform was guided by a “bottom-up” approach using the five-step curriculum reform model: (1). Curriculum mapping, (2). Comprehensive needs assessment, (3). Clear learning objectives and outcomes, (4). Curriculum development and implementation, and (5). Continuous evaluation and improvement.ResultsStep 1 revealed the need to reduce content repetition and improve alignment with the new competency standards. Step 2 identified the need to include advanced materials, integrate theoretical and clinical aspects, and enhance teaching methods. The new curriculum included 25 relevant topics. Step 3 established three course learning outcomes, while Step 4 integrated DMS content horizontally and vertically across the curriculum, introduced innovative teaching methods, and diversified assessment methods. Step 5 ensured ongoing curriculum monitoring, with both short-term and long-term evaluations planned.ConclusionThe curriculum reform process represents a significant advancement in dental materials science while addressing challenges and aligning the curriculum with national standards. Ongoing evaluation, adaptability, interdisciplinary collaboration, and international engagement are essential for further improvements. This journey serves as a valuable reference for educators seeking to update their DMS curricula.

A Classroom Intervention of Enhancing Namibian Preservice Science Teachers’ Conceptual Understanding of Properties of Waves Through Mnemonics

This quantitative classroom intervention study investigated the effectiveness of using mnemonics to enhance preservice teachers’ conceptual understanding of the topic of wave properties in physics. The study involved a sample of 30 final-year undergraduate preservice teachers enrolled in the Bachelor of Education Honours, Senior Primary with specializations in Natural Science and Health Education at Dorado Campus of The International University of Management in Namibia. The primary objective was to assess the impact of a targeted mnemonic-based instructional intervention on their ability to comprehend and apply key physics concepts related to wave properties. Initially, participants’ baseline understanding of these concepts was evaluated through pre-intervention assessments, which provided a measure of their existing knowledge. A structured mnemonic-based teaching intervention was then implemented over a specified period, designed to facilitate improved understanding of wave properties. Following the intervention, post-assessment evaluations were conducted to compare and measure changes in the participants’ conceptual understanding of the subject matter. This comparative analysis aimed to identify any significant improvements resulting from the mnemonic-based instruction. The findings indicated that there were notable improvements in the participants’ conceptual grasp of wave properties after the mnemonic-based intervention. Additionally, the study collected and analyzed participants’ feedback regarding the use of mnemonics, offering insights into their perceptions of the technique’s effectiveness as a pedagogical tool for learning complex scientific concepts. This research contributes to the broader field of physics concepts by providing evidence-based strategies to enhance the preparation of preservice teachers, particularly in physics education. Ultimately, the results of this study have the potential to inform and improve teaching practices, fostering more effective and engaging educational experiences in future science classrooms.

Exploring knowledge, perception, and use of surface electromyography in physiotherapy post graduate trainees in Italy: a single center preliminary survey.

Surface electromyography (sEMG) is a non-invasive technique that records muscle electrical activity using skin-surface electrodes, aiding physiotherapists in assessing and treating muscular and neuromuscular conditions. Despite its potential, sEMG remains underutilized in Italy. This study aims to evaluate Italian physiotherapists' knowledge and use of sEMG, specifically among those who completed the Master's Degree in Rehabilitation of Musculoskeletal and Rheumatological Disorders at the University of Genoa. This cross-sectional study, approved by the University of Genoa's Ethical Committee, utilized an anonymous web survey to gather data from physiotherapy students in the master's program. The survey, developed based on the International Handbook of Survey Methodology, consisted of 12 questions covering demographics, previous sEMG experience, the importance of sEMG in practice and research, and educational satisfaction. Data collection spanned from January to May 2024, with a response rate of 72.7% (93 participants). Descriptive analysis was used to summarize the data. The average age of respondents was 26.5 years, with 55.9% being male. Only 3.2% reported using sEMG in their practice. While 46.2% considered sEMG moderately important for practice, 40.9% deemed it extremely important for research. Most participants felt their undergraduate education inadequately prepared them for using sEMG, with 81.7% rating their preparation as insufficient. Although the master's program improved sEMG knowledge, 66.7% indicated no significant proficiency gain. Italian physiotherapists view sEMG mainly as a research tool rather than a clinical one. The findings highlight the need for curriculum reforms to enhance both theoretical and practical sEMG education. Simplifying and standardizing sEMG protocols and integrating sEMG training into physiotherapy curricula are essential steps to better prepare clinicians for its clinical application.

Updated ASM Curriculum Guidelines describe core microbiology content to modernize the framework for microbiology education.

Curricular guidelines promote standardized approaches to coverage of essential knowledge and skills in undergraduate education. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Microbiology were developed in 2012. Continuous, rapid growth of knowledge in science and a dynamic, changing world necessitate updates to these guidelines. As such, ASM formed a task force in the summer of 2022. The task force assessed the 2012 ASM Curriculum Guidelines considering advancements in technology, an understanding of an expanded role of microbes, and a broader scope addressing relevant social and environmental aspects of microbiology. Language in the updated guidelines was also modified to better include eukaryotic microbes, viruses, and other acellular microbes. The task force formed working groups, each aimed at revising specific sections of the 2012 ASM Curriculum Guidelines. The revisions to the ASM Curriculum Guidelines were reviewed by subject matter experts and education stakeholders. Feedback from this peer review was incorporated into the updated guidelines, and further comments were solicited from the ASM Conference of Undergraduate Educators (ASMCUE) attendees in November 2023 before these guidelines were finalized. In this article, we describe the rationale and development of updated ASM Curriculum Guidelines which identify foundational concepts that will serve to improve microbial literacy and that can be expanded upon to address more advanced and specialized topics.

Medical student use of practice questions in their studies: a qualitative study

Practice questions are highly sought out for use as a study tool among medical students in undergraduate medical education. At the same time, it remains unknown how medical students use and incorporate practice questions and their rationales into their studies. To explore this heavily relied upon study strategy, semi-structured interviews were conducted with second-year medical students to assess how they approach using practice questions. Qualitative thematic analysis revealed several recurrent themes: (1) Medical students use practice questions for primary learning, (2) Medical students place more importance on the rationale of a practice question versus selecting the right answer, and (3) Medical students view practice questions as being designed to be used once or having a single-use. Together, these themes provide insight into how medical students use practice questions to study, which may guide medical educators in their creation of practice questions with appropriate rationales and provide foundational data for future mixed methods analyses seeking to generalize these findings.

Transformative education applied to the philosophical principles of undergraduate education in psychology.

Transformative education applied to the philosophical principles of undergraduate education in psychology.

Research on the Aesthetic Experience of Calligraphy Art and the Enhancement of Undergraduate Students' Artistic Literacy

Calligraphy art, as an essential component of traditional Chinese culture, serves as an effective means to enhance the artistic literacy of undergraduate students. Despite its evolution from oracle bone inscriptions to regular, cursive, and semi-cursive scripts, the artistic value and educational function of calligraphy have yet to be fully realized in modern education. This paper explores the aesthetic experience of calligraphy art and its impact on undergraduate students' artistic literacy by analyzing its historical background, core aesthetic characteristics, the aesthetic experience process, and the current status and needs of students' artistic literacy. It proposes specific application strategies for integrating calligraphy art into undergraduate art education. The research shows that calligraphy art not only enhances students' artistic perception and expressiveness but also promotes the comprehensive development of their overall literacy. Future efforts should focus on innovative teaching methods in calligraphy art education and interdisciplinary integration to further enhance educational outcomes and students' artistic literacy.

Book Review: Introduction of Selected Chinese and Western Translation Theories

As China further opens up and integrates into the world, the demand for translation professionals has increased significantly. Despite the development of translation disciplines, the existing teaching materials have not yet met the needs of undergraduate education in terms of quantity and quality, especially for graduate students and doctoral students. To make up for it, the book A Selected Introduction to Chinese and Western Translation Theories emerged at the right moment. This article briefly reviews this translation theory textbook edited by Professor He Xueyun from Hengyang Normal University and published by The Commercial Press in 2021, with the ISBN 9787100201100, using research methods such as literature review, comparative analysis, and case study analysis. The book is divided into three main parts: an introduction to Chinese translation theories, an introduction to Western translation theories, and the main schools of translation theory. It is characterized by its comprehensive content, concise introductions, clear layout, highlighted key points, and ease of self-study, making it an excellent introductory book for learners of translation theory.

Transformational accounts of students’ undergraduate education are evoked by their engagement with knowledge

AbstractThere are strong concerns about students perceiving their undergraduate education in instrumental, rather than transformational, ways. However, it is not clear whether seeing education instrumentally undermines students’ capacity to see their education as transformational. Based on data from a 7-year longitudinal study of chemical engineering students from three countries, this article shows that all students focused on instrumental outcomes from education in their first year of study. However, by their final year, students tended to give instrumental accounts of what they had gained from their overall university experience and transformational accounts of what they had gained from studying their subject. This suggests that, depending on the context evoked, most students can describe instrumental or transformational relationships to their education. However, developing transformational accounts on their education appeared to be dependent on studying knowledge-rich degrees that supported them to engage with the world from the perspective of a particular body of knowledge. This raises serious questions about educational policies that imply that instrumental outcomes are the most important outcomes from students’ educational experiences as such policies obscure the importance of transformational knowledge-focused relationships that change the way that students engage with the world.

A Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Approach for Selecting Sustainable Power Systems Simulation Software in Undergraduate Education

A Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Approach for Selecting Sustainable Power Systems Simulation Software in Undergraduate Education

Predicting quality of English language teaching through augmented reality competencies and TPACK model components among Kuwaiti undergraduates

&lt;b&gt;Background: &lt;/b&gt;Augmented reality is among the emerging technologies that hold greater potential in the context of foreign language learning. No research has been done to date to investigate pre-service teachers’ competencies in augmented reality and their association with quality of teaching English and technological and pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) model components in the state of Kuwait.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Aim: &lt;/b&gt;This study aimed to assess the utility of using augmented reality competencies and English as a foreign language (EFL) TPACK model components to predict the quality of English language teaching of pre-service undergraduates.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Method: &lt;/b&gt;A total of 317 students enrolled in college of education at Kuwait university were recruited and responded to three online questionnaires measuring EFL TPACK, teachers’ augmented reality competencies, and quality of teaching English skills (QELT).&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Results: &lt;/b&gt;Results indicated a significant positive association among all variables at 0.01 level. Teacher’s augmented reality competencies (TARC), TPACK, technological knowledge (TK), and technological content knowledge (TCK) were significant predictors of QELT. One-way ANOVA revealed that there was no significant effect of gender on the TARC, TPACK, TK, TCK, and QELT. The cut-off-criteria of the mean scores indicated that all participants strongly believe that they acquire the essential competencies of augmented reality in EFL classrooms and possess a high level of proficiency in TPACK. Descriptive statistics showed that more than (70%) of pre-service teachers selected “strongly agree” and “agree”, 13% or less selected “strongly disagree” and “disagree” while 26% or less selected “neutral” response. Linear regression analysis revealed that TARC, TPACK, TK, and TCK were significant predictors of QELT.

Comparison of Surgery test scores using Concept Maps and Interactive Lectures among the Undergraduate Medical Students

Objective: Concept Maps (CM) aid in the acquisition of new information, and comprehend prior knowledge with better retention. Their use is not explored in undergraduate surgical education in our country, hence this study aimed to compare the surgery test scores of undergraduate medical students taught by concept maps and interactive lectures. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was carried out at the Department of Surgery, at a Private University Hospital among 60 students of fourth year MBBS from 2017-2018. The students were divided into Group-A taught by interactive lectures and Group-B taught by CM. Post class Multiple Choice Questions test was taken and scores were compared for immediate effects on knowledge and short term knowledge retention using the Unpaired t- test. A P-value of &lt; 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Our study reported a mean test score of 19.5 (2.75 ± 0.49) for the Group-A, while 21.1 (3.49 ± 0.65) for Group-B with a negative t value of 2.003 with a significant p-value of 0.05. This showed that the test scores of Group-A were lower than the scores of Group-B. Conclusions: Concept Maps is an effective and promising way to give learners better understanding of complex concepts in short amounts of time. providing valuable evidence for instituting the use of concept maps as a continuous teaching strategy for medical students. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.10.10526 How to cite this: Masood Z, Jawaid M, Aly SM, Muhammad Z. Comparison of Surgery test scores using Concept Maps and Interactive Lectures among the Undergraduate Medical Students. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(10):2305-2308. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.10.10526 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Teaching and learning clinical reasoning skill in undergraduate medical students: A scoping review.

Clinical reasoning involves the application of knowledge and skills to collect and integrate information, typically to arrive at a diagnosis, implement appropriate interventions, solve clinical problems, and improve the quality of health care and patient outcomes. It is a vital competency that medical students must acquire, as it is considered the heart of medicine. This scoping review aimed to identify and summarize the existing literature on learning and teaching strategies for improving clinical reasoning skill in undergraduate medical education. We conducted electronic searches in Scopus, PubMed/Medline (NLM), Web of Science (WOS), and ERIC to retrieve articles published between January 1, 2010, and March 23, 2024. We also performed hand searches by scanning the reference lists of included studies and similar reviews and searching three key journals. After removing duplicates, two reviewers independently extracted data from primary articles using a standard data extraction form. The authors used Arksey and O'Malley's framework. Among the 46581 retrieved records, 54 full-text articles were included in the present review. We categorized the educational strategies based on their aspects, focus, and purpose. Included studies used various educational strategies for improving clinical reasoning skill in undergraduate medical education by serial cue or whole clinical cases that presented as process-oriented or knowledge-oriented. This scoping review investigated various dimensions of educational intervention for improving clinical reasoning skill in undergraduate medical education. There is a need for more precision studies with larger sample sizes, designing studies according to randomized controlled trials standards, determining MCID, or performing meta-analyses to acquire robust and conclusive results.

Exposing postdocs to multiple institutional types: a PROMISE-ing intervention to prepare biomedical faculty

Biomedical faculty positions require experience as a postdoctoral scholar (or “postdoc”). However, there is a current misalignment with postdoctoral training and workforce needs within higher education. The majority of postdocs are trained to be research faculty while completing fellowships at research-intensive universities, despite the fact that the majority of US higher educational institutions (where these postdocs may be employed) focus on undergraduate education. This leads to postdoctoral scholars not having the opportunity to gain exposure to different institutional types where they could be employed. Importantly, they also lack the opportunity to build a network or receive mentorship from faculty at non-R1 institutions. This may be particularly true of underrepresented scholars. In this brief report, we describe the practice of the NSF-funded PROMISE Academy Alliance to bridge this training gap and support greater preparation for faculty careers at an array of institutional types by leveraging collaboration within a state university system. A survey of PROMISE Academy Fellows about their structured experiences engaging with other campuses (e.g., campus tours, workshops, speaking opportunities) reveals that visits to other campuses within the state system are informative and impactful, both on their research and their employment interests. The positive findings can hopefully inspire easy-to-implement changes in postdoctoral support across other university systems or regional consortia.