US Undergraduate Research Articles

Work Values and Related Construction Industry Perceptions of US Undergraduate Construction Management Students

ABSTRACT Human capital management is a challenge faced by built environment employers that is amplified by the labor shortage. To stay competitive, employers must retain existing employees and recruit new talent. The modern workforce has different career expectations and overall work values than previous generations. The purpose of this research is to identify work values of recent construction management students along with their perceptions of a career in the built environment. Data were collected via a survey from a sample of students enrolled in three accredited 4-year Construction Management programs in the United States (located in Utah, Oklahoma, and South Carolina). Respondents ranked the significance of 21 work values as they related to their future careers. They also rated their perceptions of the industry along those same value statements. Findings indicated that the highest ranked work values were job security, opportunities to feel accomplished, and opportunities to earn a high income. Differences between stated work values and perceptions of the industry were also identified. Most notably, differences in requires meeting and speaking with many other people, provides job security, and requires supervising others are areas that warrant attention. An improved understanding of these work values will assist the industry in successfully recruiting and retaining this new generation of employees.

Tackling global crises with the Humanities: Jonathan Bate talks about ASU's new BA in Culture, Technology, and Environment

Arizona State University recently announced their new BA program in Culture, Technology, and Environment, which “engages all three” of their “humanities schools to uncover how English, film, history, language, culture, religion, and philosophy can work together to solve the significant issues that societies and environments face.” ASU's is the first US undergraduate program to combine culture, technology, and environment, and is available online or face‐to‐face, which allows students to engage as suits their learning style, and for those already in the workforce, to continue to hold employment while pursuing their degree.

Characterization of Body Image Perception and Social Media Usage in US Undergraduate Students

Characterization of Body Image Perception and Social Media Usage in US Undergraduate Students

Does the Degree Matter? MD and DO Students Who Match Into OB/GYN Report Different Experiences in US Undergraduate Medical Education.

Although allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) students have similar curricular requirements, little is known about differences in MD and DO preparedness for obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) residency. To assess differences in experiences and confidence of MD vs DO students who matched to OB/GYN. This cross-sectional survey study was open to all fourth-year medical students who matched to OB/GYN in the United States in April 2021. The survey included demographic data, clinical experiences, confidence (5-point sliding scale), and a 11-item knowledge test. Survey responses were compared to assess for disparities in experiences and confidence. Survey response rate was 72.0% (1057 of 1469) students matched to OB/GYN postgraduate year 1 positions. Of the 871 MD and 175 DO responding students, MDs were more likely to have clerkships ≥6 weeks (78.1% vs 15.4%; P<.001) and a home sub-internship (92.0% vs 53.4%; P<.001). DOs reported more hands-on experiences with procedures (MD median=35 [20-35] vs DO median=40 [25-65]; P=.002). There was no difference in self-reported confidence in knowledge, technical skills, or having a realistic sense of internship, and no difference in baseline knowledge test scores. DOs felt less confident about their medical school preparation (aOR 0.40; 95% CI 0.25-0.66; P<.001) and were more likely to perceive inequity of residency preparation (aOR 1.88; 95% CI 1.18-3.00; P=.002). MD students matched to US OB/GYN residency programs reported longer clerkship and more home sub-internships, while DO students reported more hands-on experiences. Despite reporting similar confidence in knowledge and skills, DO students felt less prepared for internship.

Simulation-Based Education in US Undergraduate Medical Education: A Descriptive Study.

Simulation-based education (SBE) provides experiential learning, improvement in quality of care, and reduction in errors. In 2011, the Association of American Medical Colleges described adoption of SBE in 68.0% of medical schools and 25.0% of teaching hospitals. We sought to examine current trends of SBE integration in American undergraduate medical education since previous publications. From 2016 to 2019, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center postgraduate year 1 residents were invited to participate in a survey assessing medical school simulation experience with 26 clinical tasks from three categories: procedural, communication, and other. Deidentified results were analyzed to assess demographics including sex, specialty, residency program type, allopathic versus osteopathic medical school, and medical school region. Nine hundred sixty-seven of 1047 (92.3%) responses were obtained, representing 139 US medical schools, 91% from allopathic training. Of procedural tasks, most simulated was suturing (n = 848, 89.6%) and least simulated was thoracentesis (n = 737, 80.9%). Of communication tasks, most simulated was taking a history (n = 475, 51.1% reporting simulation >30) and least simulated (never or ≤1) were obtaining a consent (n = 669, 73.2%) and disclosing a medical error (n = 666, 72.4%). Of other tasks, most simulated was chest compressions (n = 898, 96.0%) and least simulated was operating a defibrillator (n = 206, 22.1%). Results were similar regardless of procedural or nonprocedural program. There was no significant difference in SBE exposure between allopathic and osteopathic students ( P = 0.89). Two participants (0.002%) reported no simulation exposure. Our study is the first to describe a high prevalence of SBE adoption in medical schools nationwide since the Association of American Medical Colleges' 2011 publication, with overall equal exposure for students regardless of residency type and allopathic or osteopathic medical school. Despite widespread adoption of simulation, opportunities remain to expand SBE use to teach critically important communication skills.

Revisiting US Undergraduate Perceptions of Non-native English Varieties: From Millennials to Generation Z

Abstract As the global importance of English and its proportion of non-native speakers have continued to grow, research on Global Englishes has prioritized non-native speakers’ changing attitudes toward non-native varieties. To investigate changes in attitudes among ‘Inner Circle’ English speakers, we conceptually replicated Lindemann’s (2005) survey of Millennial US undergraduates’ attitudes toward global English varieties with a sample of Generation Z undergraduates (n = 216). This study also sought to bridge research on attitudes toward English varieties with research on judgments of English speech by including a speech rating task featuring six speakers of different global English varieties. In comparison with Lindemann’s Millennials, Generation Z had less favorable attitudes toward their own US English and generally more positive orientations to non-native Englishes. Nonetheless, Generation Z had similar conceptions of where English is spoken well and with pleasant accents, and where English is spoken poorly and unpleasantly. Participants’ attitudes toward global English varieties were positively and modestly associated with the ratings provided to individual speakers of the same variety.

The Experiences that Most Affected the Political Socialization of US Undergraduates

Most articles about the Gen Z’s political beliefs focus a lot on what they believe, but not so much on how they came to or why they hold those beliefs. Through a series of interviews and one focus group meeting, I investigated what events or experiences were most instrumental in shaping the beliefs of some current US undergraduate students. I found that experiences with very strong personal impacts were the most influential in shaping the participants’ current beliefs; experiences in which they or those close to them were negatively misrepresented or in which they began to distrust certain authority figures or groups were some common examples mentioned. This research highlights some crucial moments in the political socialization of some Gen Z students, and more broadly hints at the types of events and experiences that shaped this generation, politically.

Different Coping Patterns among US Graduate and Undergraduate Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Machine Learning Approach.

COVID-19 caused unprecedented disruptions to regular university operations worldwide. Dealing with 100% virtual classrooms and suspension of essential in-person activities resulted in significant stress and anxiety for students coping with isolation, fear, and uncertainties in their academic careers. In this study, we applied a machine learning approach to identify distinct coping patterns between graduate and undergraduate students when facing these challenges. We based our study on a large proprietary dataset collected from 517 students in US professional institutions during an early peak of the pandemic. In particular, we cast our problem under the association rule mining (ARM) framework by introducing a new method to transform survey data into market basket items and customer transactions in which students’ behavioral patterns were analogous to customer purchase patterns. Our experimental results suggested that graduate and undergraduate students adopted different ways of coping that could be attributed to their different maturity levels and lifestyles. Our findings can further serve as a focus of attention (FOA) tool to facilitate customized advising or counseling to address the unique challenges associated with each group that may warrant differentiated interventions.

Meeting the Moment: Impact of TEACH Grant on US Undergraduate Education Degree Completion in High-Need Content Areas.

As part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (2007), the USA funded the TEACH Grant to incentivize earning a degree in a high-need content area (e.g., STEM fields, language-related areas, and Special Education) and to help meet teacher supply needs in low-income schools. Our analysis investigates the impact TEACH has had on the production of undergraduate education degrees overall and in high-need content areas. Using publicly available datasets and propensity score methods, we compare undergraduate education degree production at institutions of higher education, making comparisons between adopters and non-adopters of TEACH. Our findings suggest the adoption of TEACH had no impact on the overall production of undergraduate education degrees or production of education degrees in STEM, language-related fields, or special education. We situate our findings in the context of unrelenting demand for teachers in the USA.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1057/s41307-022-00263-3.

Mental health of US undergraduate and graduate students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Differences across sociodemographic groups

The purposes of this study were to assess differences between sociodemographic groups in student mental health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, to investigate whether the pandemic disproportionately affected certain groups, and to examine between-group differences in pandemic-related stressors. Data from Minnesota undergraduate and graduate students who completed an online survey in 2020 (N = 2,067) were compared to data collected from students in 2018 (N = 3,627). The survey assessed days of poor mental health, stress, stress management ability, days of adequate sleep, and pandemic-related stressors (2020 only). Multivariate analyses of variance assessed differences between study years (2020 vs. 2018), sociodemographic groups (gender, sexual orientation, race, disability, international student), and their interactions with study year in predicting mental health, and the sociodemographic groups in predicting pandemic stressors, among undergraduate and graduate students. Stress management ability decreased and sleep improved from 2018 to 2020. The sociodemographic variables most associated with poorer mental health were identifying as female, a sexual minority, or having a disability. Undergraduates reported poorer mental health than graduate students. Differences between sociodemographic groups were not larger during the pandemic, except among students with disabilities. All five sociodemographic variables were related to greater pandemic stressors in some domains.

Comparing mental health and well-being of US undergraduate and graduate students during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: This study explored how COVID-related mental health and well-being varied between undergraduate and graduate students. Relationships with physical health behaviors were also examined. Participants: Undergraduate (n = 897) and graduate (n = 314) students were recruited from three US universities between mid-April and late-May 2020. Methods: Participants in this cross-sectional survey self-reported perceived stress, financial stress, resilience, repetitive negative thinking, mood, anxiety, diet, sleep, and physical activity using validated instruments. Results: Undergraduate students reported more perceived stress, more repetitive negative thinking, less positive mood, and less support from professors than graduate students. Perceived stress, repetitive negative thinking, negative mood, and anxiety increased among all students (p < .05 for all). Correlations between mental health outcomes and physical health behaviors were weak to moderate (r = .08 to .49). Conclusions: College students, particularly undergraduates, perceived negative mental health impacts during COVID. Creative approaches for meeting student needs are necessary.

Relationships between patterns of weight-related self-monitoring and eating disorder symptomology among undergraduate and graduate students.

To characterize patterns of weight-related self-monitoring (WRSM) among US undergraduate and graduate students and examine associations between identified patterns of WRSM and eating disorder symptomology. Undergraduate and graduate students from 12 US colleges and universities (N = 10,010) reported the frequency with which they use WRSM, including self-weighing and dietary self-monitoring. Eating disorder symptomology was assessed using the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire. Gender-specific patterns of WRSM were identified using latent class analysis, and logistic regressions were used to identify differences in the odds of eating disorder symptomology across patterns of WRSM. Among this sample, 32.7% weighed themselves regularly; 44.1% reported knowing the nutrition facts of the foods they ate; 33.6% reported knowing the caloric content of the foods they ate; and 12.8% counted the calories they ate. Among women, four patterns of WRSM were identified: "no WRSM," "all forms of WRSM," "knowing nutrition/calorie facts," and "self-weigh only." Compared with the "no WRSM" pattern, women in all other patterns experienced increased eating disorder symptomology. Among men, three patterns were identified: "no WRSM," "all forms of WRSM," and "knowing nutrition/calorie facts." Only men in the "all forms WRSM" pattern had increased eating disorder symptomatology compared with those in the "no WRSM" pattern. In a large sample of undergraduate and graduate students, engaging in any WRSM was associated with increased eating disorder symptomology among women, particularly for those who engaged in all forms. Among men, engaging in all forms of WRSM was the only pattern associated with higher eating disorder symptomology.

French for Professional Purposes in US Undergraduate Education: An Analysis of Course Offerings and Student Demand

In the past decade, there has been a significant decline in French language enrollments in US higher education institutions, despite a growing demand for French proficiency in the North American job market. These trends illustrate the need to offer French for Professional Purposes (FPP) courses, which allow students to develop language skills adapted to the professional environment. Our research aims to analyze the supply and demand for FPP courses. In this current study, we assessed the proportion of four-year colleges and universities that offer FPP courses, and we compiled the variety of their course offerings. We then conducted a survey of students enrolled in the FPP courses. Among the 545 institutions reviewed, a majority offered at least one FPP course, usually Business French. Institutions offering more than one course and a wider diversity of course topics were less common. Based on questionnaire responses, we found a significant mismatch between the supply of courses and students’ demand for FPP course offerings. We also found that, if given the possibility, most undergraduate students in the first through third years would like to enroll in another FPP course in the following academic year. These results call for further developments of FPP courses nationwide and greater diversification of course offerings.

Developing Resilience: Experiencing and Managing Stress in a US Undergraduate Construction Program

AbstractCollege students in the US are facing increased levels of stress as they progress through their undergraduate programs. Although these trends are of concern within higher education, they ar...

Understanding US Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of International Teaching Assistants

Understanding US Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of International Teaching Assistants

The Landscape of US Undergraduate Public Health Education.

The Landscape of US Undergraduate Public Health Education.

Students, Mobile Devices and Classrooms: A comparison of US and Arab Undergraduate Students in a Middle Eastern University

The use of mobile devices in the university classroom is not limited to Western cultures. Rather universities in the Middle East, particularly in the Gulf Cooperation Countries face similar problems regarding smartphone usage in classrooms. This study utilizes Tindell and Bohlander’s (2012) survey to compare results regarding cell phones and text messaging in a small private US university to those in a Middle Eastern University located in a GCC country. The authors surveyed 300 randomly selected undergraduate students representing 26 majors located in seven different colleges to gain an understanding of their cell phones use in university classrooms. Comparison with US students demonstrates these students share a great deal of similarities although several findings indicate differences. To address the similarities and difference, the authors discuss globalization and relevant issues regarding the role culture plays in the use of this technology.

Attempted Training of Alcohol Approach and Drinking Identity Associations in US Undergraduate Drinkers: Null Results from Two Studies.

There is preliminary evidence that approach avoid training can shift implicit alcohol associations and improve treatment outcomes. We sought to replicate and extend those findings in US undergraduate social drinkers (Study 1) and at-risk drinkers (Study 2). Three adaptations of the approach avoid task (AAT) were tested. The first adaptation – the approach avoid training – was a replication and targeted implicit alcohol approach associations. The remaining two adaptations – the general identity and personalized identity trainings – targeted implicit drinking identity associations, which are robust predictors of hazardous drinking in US undergraduates. Study 1 included 300 undergraduate social drinkers. They were randomly assigned to real or sham training conditions for one of the three training adaptations, and completed two training sessions, spaced one week apart. Study 2 included 288 undergraduates at risk for alcohol use disorders. The same training procedures were used, but the two training sessions occurred within a single week. Results were not as expected. Across both studies, the approach avoid training yielded no evidence of training effects on implicit alcohol associations or alcohol outcomes. The general identity training also yielded no evidence of training effects on implicit alcohol associations or alcohol outcomes with one exception; individuals who completed real training demonstrated no changes in drinking refusal self-efficacy whereas individuals who completed sham training had reductions in self-efficacy. Finally, across both studies, the personalized identity training yielded no evidence of training effects on implicit alcohol associations or alcohol outcomes. Despite having relatively large samples and using a well-validated training task, study results indicated all three training adaptations were ineffective at this dose in US undergraduates. These findings are important because training studies are costly and labor-intensive. Future research may benefit from focusing on more severe populations, pairing training with other interventions, increasing training dose, and increasing gamification of training tasks.

Sponsored Neo-Conservative Challenges to Diversity and Intercultural Competence in the US Undergraduate Curriculum

For the past six decades, conservative foundations in the United States have targeted their funding on a transformation of the public's understanding of markets, culture, and the undergraduate course of study. These foundations, and their sponsored researchers, have specifically challenged the place of diversity and intercultural competence in the undergraduate curriculum in the USA. The article describes the close links between conservative foundations which give millions of dollars to a set of conservative activists, associations, and institutes who, in turn, develop conferences, meetings, and publications for public consumption. In addition, the article follows the public distribution and use of these documents, monographs, and guides. The article reveals them as politically motivated tools calculated to influence university policies regarding the content of the curriculum, and issues concerning diversity and intercultural competence. The article links funding from the J.M. Olin, Lynde and Harry Bradley, Earhart, Castle Rock, and Sarah Scaife Foundations to six conservative educational centers and councils from the early 1950s to the first decade of the twenty-first century, and to products designed to influence the undergraduate curriculum. Among others, it analyzes products developed by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI), the Madison Center for Educational Affairs (MCEA), and the American Council for Trustees and Alumni (ACTA).

Cultural models and the dream

Dreamers practice models, I argue here, that in daytime serve as efficacious ways of acting in a cultural world but that also incorporate socioeconomic hierarchies that may be disadvantageous for the dreamer. Melding personal experience with models represented as images, dreamers conceptualize these disadvantages and pursue remedies for them. I explore these ideas through the dream of a US undergraduate (Marlene) about hair. Hair is the target of an anthropological debate about putatively universal symbols and cultural messages, which this paper will address. In Marlene’s dream, hair symbolizes what I call a US Cinderella model for being a woman — a model that embeds a gender hierarchy within Marlene’s identity. Marlene’s dream, however, reconfigures her identity and this model along with it.