What are the most common motives invoked by 9th graders when asked about their plans to take (or not) more mathematics courses during high school? How do beliefs about math course-taking affect students' actual planning? To what extent is planning of math course-taking associated with high school students' sociodemographic backgrounds? The study…

There is a wide variety of preservation techniques available, and anatomy departments can select an embalming method(s) that best suits their course outcomes. Thiel embalming is becoming popular due to the life-like color and flexibility it provides tissue. This study examined student-perceived impact of learning anatomy by dissecting…

Learning objectives are intended to be used as tools for both instructors and students. Student use of learning objectives is related to developing metacognitive skills and self-regulation of learning. Many medical institutions provide learning objectives to their pre-clerkship students, but it is unknown if or how the students use them. A…

Do U.S. adult learners really "get what they came for" in adult foundational education programs -- and how do we measure the value of what they get? A pressing need exists to conduct return-on-investment research to make clear the benefits of learner investments in adult foundational education to funders and prospective partners. As U.S.…

High quality student outcome measures provide the foundation for effective learning assessment. These outcomes can be organized into different categories, such as skills or habits of mind, and evidence types, such as direct or indirect. Prevailing models of assessment, however, focus only on the distinction between direct and indirect evidence…

Students must develop higher order cognitive skills (HOCS) that allow them to think critically and use their learning in novel situations. However, little is known about how including HOCS in teaching and assessment affects students' perception of learning. We combine quantitative and qualitative data to determine whether the inclusion of HOCS and…

Students' learning environments often change during school career, due to school transitions and the introduction of educational innovations, causing discontinuity in teaching and learning. Success of students entering a new learning environment depends in part on their prior expectations of education, as these influence later perceptions.…

A growing body of research distinguishes between official systems of accountability and "felt" accountability - how people feel responsible to one another across a web of complex, intersecting relationships. Research in the behavioral sciences suggests that while such feelings have a dramatic effect on results, these have been…

Syllabi can be a mechanism by which professors can foster inclusivity with students. This article highlights how I, an educational leadership professor, intentionally incorporated elements within course syllabi to foster inclusivity. The text, "What Inclusive Instructors Do: Principles and Practices for Excellence in College Teaching"…

We are living in an era where reality, truth, and facts are being turned upside down and inside out. Fake news and falsehoods are being spewed out in increasing exponential rates. I was prompted to do something about the propensity of fake news through post-truth discourse and designed an undergraduate course that I titled: Bullshit, Fake News,…

Purpose offers several important benefits to youth. Thus, it is necessary to understand "how" a sense of purpose develops in supportive contexts and "what" psychological resources can help. From 2021 to 2022, this study investigated purpose change among 321 youth (M[subscript age] = 16.4 years; 71% female; 25.9% Black, 33.3%…

Objective-Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) are a valuable source of assessment for students' practical clinical and professional skills throughout their medical careers due to the OSCEs' capability to test multiple competencies in a standardized manner. Over the years, OSCEs have increasingly been integrated across medical programs to…

The purpose of this paper is to describe one university's experience in designing a foundational course that introduces the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Core Competencies (IPEC, 2016) and applies those competencies to interprofessional education and interprofessional practice experiences specific to the accreditation needs of…

The designs of gamification platforms are diverse and constantly evolving. Excessive use of various game mechanisms in learning platforms can distract from the learning process. However, the fit of game mechanisms is still uncertain. Thus, this study investigates the effect of achieving fit when implementing game mechanisms on learning outcomes by…

Metacognition involves the monitoring, regulation, and evaluation of one's own cognitive processes and is known to enhance educational outcomes and retention in students (Bruin & Van Gog, 2012). This study assessed metacognitive practices among college students at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, by administering existing…