Exploring the Impact of Assessment on Medical Students’ Learning

Abstract

What and how students learn depend largely on how they think they will be assessed. This study aimed to explore medical students’ perception of the value of assessment and feedback on their learning, and how this relates to their examination performance. A mixed methods research design was adopted in which a questionnaire was developed and administered to the students to gain their perceptions of assessments. Perceptions were further explored in focus group discussions. Survey findings were correlated with students’ performance data and academic coordinators’ perceptions. Students’ perceptions of the level of difficulty of different assessments mirrored their performance in examinations, with an improvement observed in clinical assessments as students progressed through their degree. Students recognised that feedback is important to allow improvements and seek more timely, better quality and personalised feedback. Academic coordinators identified that some of the students’ suggestions are more realistic than others. Students had a positive attitude towards assessment, but emphasised the need for educators to highlight the relevance of assessment to clinical practice.     

Supporting Self-Regulated Learning for College Students with Asperger Syndrome: Exploring the “Strategies for College Learning” Model

In this study, I piloted the feasibility, effects, and perceived acceptability of a peer mentoring intervention targeting academic achievement and self-regulated learning (SRL) for three college students with Asperger syndrome. The approach, dubbed Strategies for College Learning (SCL), features individualized assessment of academic performance in target courses and direct instruction of learning and self-regulation strategies under the provision of a peer mentor. The pilot study resulted in successful implementation of SCL and the acquisition of numerous learning strategies among participants. Qualitative data indicated participants felt SCL was both useful and acceptable. As the incidence of autism spectrum disorders increases, so has the need to accommodate students with highly individualized learning needs. The pilot is among the first to explore peer mentoring as an approach at bolstering SRL and academic achievement for college students with Asperger syndrome. The limitations of the study are discussed as well as implications for future research and practice.     

Peer-Facilitated Learning: Students’ Experiences

This article explores first-year students’ motivation for attending peer-facilitated learning (PFL) sessions at a University of Technology, and how they benefit from it. Studies have shown better academic performance for students attending PFL sessions; however, little attention has been dedicated to questioning what else outside of subject knowledge is being disseminated during these sessions; what motivates students to attend these sessions; and what students benefit from attending these sessions. Research has revealed that the majority of first-year students experience challenges with the transition between high school and university. Consequently, first-year experience has become the focus of higher education institutions worldwide. This situation calls for an effective intervention programme such as PFL to assist first-year students with the challenges of transition. The findings of this study contrary to popular literature that highlights academic success as the focus of PFL, revealed that students demonstrate a strong inclination to soft skills and social interactions as the main motivation for attending PFL sessions. This calls for a re-evaluation on how PFL support should be organised especially for first-year students.     

Understanding the Students’Contribution to EFL Learning

One can view life from many different perspectives, and each perspective will reveal different aspects and details. As a teaching professional, teachers’ major aim is to help learners. This is the major justification for their career. If they don’t help learners, they will not enjoy teaching. Helping learners requires certain skills on the part of the teacher.     

How to Enlarge the Students’ Vocabulary:in English Learning

Vocabulary is a very important element in English learning.Without a large vocabulary,no one can reach a high English level.However,it is very difficult to enlarge vocabulary.In fact there are many methods to enlarge vocabulary.     

Exploring the Relationship Between High School Students’ Physics-Related Personal Epistemologies and Self-regulated Learning in Turkey

This article reports on an empirical exploration of the relations and strengths among Turkish grades 9–11 students’ (n = 209) personal epistemologies (justification of knowledge, certainty of knowledge, source of knowledge, development of knowledge), self-regulated learning (extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation, rehearsal, elaboration, organization, critical thinking, metacognitive self-regulation), and achievement in physics (course grades). Established instruments were used to collect data on these students’ beliefs about knowledge and components of self-regulated learning (SRL) such as goal orientations (extrinsic and intrinsic motivation) and learning strategies, critical thinking, and metacognitive regulation. Results from structural equation modeling revealed that students’ personal epistemologies directly influenced their motivation (extrinsic and intrinsic goal orientations), rehearsal and organization strategies, and metacognitive self-regulation to learn physics. Furthermore, students’ personal epistemologies indirectly (mediated through motivation beliefs) influenced rehearsal, elaboration and organization strategies, critical thinking, and metacognitive self-regulation to learn physics. Students’ ideas about knowledge and knowing about the source and development of knowledge significantly contributed to students’ self-regulatory skills and physics course grade. Implications and future directions are discussed.     

Advocating Students’ Individual Learning

A new approach formed with the application of modern teaching facilities makes English teaching and learning more collaborative and individualized through using computers,the Internet,and multimedia.Therefore,students’individual English learning,teaching and learning environment,and conditions that students need in their individual learning are discussed.     

Exploring Effectiveness of Classroom Assessments for Students’ Learning in High School Chemistry

Research in Science Education - New notions of science teaching and learning provide challenges for designing and using classroom assessment. Existing assessments are not effective in assessing and...     

A Survey on College Students’ English Learning Motivation and the Learning Results

This survey has been processed on 78 graduate students in grade 2010, majoring in science and engineer, from different classes. By analyzing the results of College English Test 4 and questionnaire, it shows that the students’ English learning motivation roots in Certificate. Differences between the winners and losers are not reflected in the time they have used to study, but the learning motivation they possess.     

‘Get Foot in the Door’: International Students’ Perceptions of Work Integrated Learning

Work-integrated learning (WIL) is regarded as an important vehicle to assist students’ development of relevant professional skills, knowledge and attributes that can enhance their employability. WIL arrangement for international students is a challenging issue for institutions, international students themselves as well as other related stakeholders. While there is an emerging body of literature that examines WIL for international students, how the value of WIL is perceived by this cohort is little known. This paper responds to this dearth of the literature by exploring the different meanings that international students in the vocational education and training sector attach to WIL. Using Bourdieu’s thinking tools of capitals and habitus to interpret interview data from 105 international students, this paper shows that WIL is seen to not only add value to student learning, career aspiration and employability but also transform and enhance their symbolic and social capitals. The paper underscores the instrumental, symbolic and developmental meanings that international students associate with WIL. In particular, it highlights the reciprocal relationship between students’ development of vocational ‘being’ and personal ‘being’ through WIL.     

Students’ Learning Processes during School-Based Learning and Workplace Learning in Vocational Education: A Review

Learning in vocational schools and workplaces are the two main components of vocational education. Students have to develop professional competences by building meaningful relations between knowledge, skills and attitudes. There are, however, some major concerns about the combination of learning in these two learning environments, since vocational schools are primarily based on the rationales of learning and theory, while workplaces are based on the rationales of working and practice. This study therefore aims to structure empirical insights into students’ learning processes during the combination of school-based learning and workplace learning in vocational education. A review-study has been conducted in which ultimately 24 articles were analyzed thoroughly. The review shows that students’ learning processes in vocational schools and workplaces are related to six main themes: students’ expertise development, students’ learning styles, students’ integration of knowledge acquired in school and workplace, processes of knowledge development, students’ motivations for learning and students’ professional identity development. Our results show that students are novices who use specific and different learning styles and learning activities in vocational schools and workplaces. It is concluded that the enhancement of students’ learning processes needs to be adaptive and differentiated in nature. Recommendations for further research are elaborated and suggestions for the enhancement of students’ learning processes are discussed using insights from hybrid learning environments and boundary crossing via boundary objects.     

Undergraduate Social Work Students’ Perceptions of a Team-Based Learning Approach to Exploring Adult Development

ABSTRACT

Social work educators are challenged to adopt innovative instructional methods and pedagogies to prepare students to meet the contemporary needs of diverse client populations. A team-based learning (TBL) approach is a pedagogical strategy that utilizes cooperative and collaborative learning principles to inspire academic, professional, and interpersonal growth for students. This study explores perspectives of 93 undergraduate social work students regarding the benefits and challenges of using a TBL approach to research adult development. Despite identifying several benefits of this method, including in-depth learning and enhanced relationships, students also experienced significant challenges to working in teams.     

College Students’ Time Management: a Self-Regulated Learning Perspective

Educational Psychology Review - Despite its recognized importance for academic success, much of the research investigating time management has proceeded without regard to a comprehensive...     

A Critical Analysis on Evaluating the Students’Feedback of Learning

Teaching involves finding out about students’misunderstandings,intervening to change them and creating a context of learning that encourages students to engage with the subject matter.This theory of making student learning possible is very much concerned with the content of what students have to learn in relation to how it should be taught.Evaluation implies collecting information about our work,interpreting the information and making judgments about which actions we should take to improve practice.Evaluation is an analytical process that is intrinsic to good teaching.     

TheInfluenceofAutonomous Learning TrainingonCollege Students’Listening Proficiency

Recently it is a focus to orientate students towards effective autonomous learning within the field of foreign language education at home and abroad. It aims to prove the effectiveness of autonomous learning training in stimulating students' awareness of autonomous learning and improving the application of learning strategies, so as to promote their listening proficiency.Along with a training, a questionnaire, listening proficiency tests, through analyzing the data collected from the questionnaires and the tests, it reveals the experimental class' s listening proficiency is apparently better than that of the control class. 80% students with different listening levels from the experimental class achieve progress to some degree. Autonomous learning training enables students to promote their listening proficiency as well as the awareness of autonomous learning.     

Preparing Teachers’ to Raise Students’ Mathematics Learning

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the ORIGO Stepping Stones program in a large suburban school district in the Midwestern U.S.. The sample included 11 elementary schools that implemented the program during the 2013–2016 school years. Findings are presented from teacher surveys, classroom observations, and analysis of standardized student mathematics achievement scores on the Northwest Evaluation Association Measurement of Academic Progress (NWEA MAP). Using multilevel models, the program did not demonstrate a detectably larger effect on mathematics achievement than the comparison. Classroom observations and views of teachers that support program implementation were explored. In terms of fidelity of implementation, findings suggested that the program was delivered differently from how it was intended. With respect to researchers and policymakers, the approach used to evaluating mathematics program effectiveness is informative and could be used as part of larger accountability systems.