Learner Perceptions of Open Pedagogy in a Psychology Course

2020 ◽  
pp. 67-90
Author(s):  
Feng-Ru Sheu
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Decision Process ◽  
State University ◽  
Writing Assignments ◽  
Design Project ◽  
Instructor Feedback ◽  
Learner Perceptions ◽  
Southwestern State ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Open Textbooks

A research and course re-design project was undertaken to document, evaluate, and report the effects of implementing an OER-enabled pedagogy project in a psychology course within Georgia Southwestern State University. The project involved redesigning alternative and ‘renewable assignments' in a course using open textbooks to replace some paper writing assignments that are ‘disposable.' Data was gathered from 42 students enrolled in the course, including surveys, student reviews, and instructor feedback. Results indicated that students prefer the renewable assignments, which helped them better understand the content and prepare for the exams. They also like to be involved in the decision process, such as the choice of assignment, including the questions they created in the exams. Feedback from instructors indicated that effort and time was about the same or slightly more effective in terms of course preparation, implementation, and student performance. However, students' engagement was increased, and improvements can certainly be made for next semester.

Introductory Psychology Student Performance: Weekly Quizzes Followed by a Cumulative Final Exam

2007 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 177-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Eric Landrum
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Introductory Psychology ◽  
Introductory Psychology Student ◽  
Psychology Student ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Response Options ◽  
Psychology Course

Students in an introductory psychology course took a quiz a week over each textbook chapter, followed by a cumulative final exam. Students missing a quiz in class could make up a quiz at any time during the semester, and answers to quiz items were available to students prior to the cumulative final exam. The cumulative final exam consisted of half the items previously presented on quizzes; half of those items had the response options scrambled. The performance on similar items on the cumulative final was slightly higher than on the original quiz, and scrambling the response options had little effect. Students strongly supported the quiz a week approach.

New Features of Open Textbook for Integrative STEMx Education

2019 ◽  
pp. 142-168
Keyword(s):  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Michigan State University ◽  
State University ◽  
Scientific Content ◽  
Perceived Need ◽  
Unique Experience ◽  
Global Skills ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Open Textbooks

Over the last 10 years it was observed that scientific literacy has two orientations: (1) scientific content is presented to be used later for anything and (2) scientific content is presented to be used in life. According to data provided by the Michigan State University, STEM (i.e., science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) occupations are growing at nearly two times the rate of the non-STEM jobs. In addition, many fields are seeking employers with STEM-related skills, such as problem solving, critical thinking, and technical abilities. Thus, as STEM has progressively expanded, there is a perceived need for new focused on high-demand jobs in scientific literacy. For open textbooks to be a unique experience in STEM education, it is important to design new features. This chapter explores the open textbook area for integrative STEMx education. It considers how open textbooks can provide students a unique way forward to learn about learning strategies and to develop global skills on-demand. The conclusion is provided at the end.

The Importance of Taking Psychology: A Comparison of Three Levels of Exposure

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 290-298
Author(s):  
R. Eric Landrum ◽  
Regan A. R. Gurung ◽  
Eric Amsel
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Absolute Magnitude ◽  
Psychology Students ◽  
Introductory Psychology ◽  
Psychology Student ◽  
Psychology Majors ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Qualitative Responses

We compared the performance of senior psychology majors, introductory psychology students, and similarly aged individuals with no college psychology on seven different outcome measures including multiple-choice knowledge tests, attitudes, and open-ended scenarios requiring qualitative responses. On all measures, both senior psychology majors and introductory psychology students significantly outperformed individuals with no college psychology. However, the absolute magnitude of introductory psychology student performance would be depicted as a failing grade at most institutions (i.e., below 60% correct). We discuss this pattern of results in the context of judging the effectiveness of the major, the role of the introductory psychology course, and judging the effectiveness of the assessment/outcome measures utilized.

Thinking Like a Psychologist Introductory Psychology Writing Assignments

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 335-341
Author(s):  
Diane Keyser Wentworth ◽  
Lona Whitmarsh
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Psychology Students ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
General Psychology ◽  
Mental Processes ◽  
Writing Assignments ◽  
Two Samples ◽  
Student Reactions ◽  
Psychology Course

Teaching the general psychology course provides instructors with the opportunity to invite students to explore the dynamics of behavior and mental processes through the lens of theory and research. Three innovative writing assignments were developed to teach students to think like a psychologist, operationalized as enhancing critical thinking, applying research concepts, and resisting plagiarism. The assignments were evaluated with two samples of general psychology students. In Sample 1, student reactions to the assignments were uniformly positive. In Sample 2, students were assessed directly on their critical thinking skills using a set of three scenarios. An increase in students’ ability to think critically was found. Therefore, these assignments were successful in helping develop our students’ ability to think like a psychologist.

scholarly journals INFLUENCE OF LEARNING PREFERENCE ON SELF-EFFICACY AND PERFORMANCE IN MIXED-MODALITY FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERING DESIGN

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon-Michael J. Booth ◽  
Thomas E. Doyle ◽  
David M. Musson
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Learning Preferences ◽  
First Year ◽  
Final Examination ◽  
Design Project ◽  
Learning Preference ◽  
Simulation Based ◽  
And Performance

All students have preferences for the way they receive and distribute information when the objective is learning. These preferences can be shown to have an effect on self-efficacy and on performance. The relationships between learning preference, self-efficacy and performance were studied using survey and grade data obtained from a first-year Engineering Design and Graphics course. The students were placed in one of three groups according to the modality (type) of design project they were given; a Simulation-Based project (SIM) using a software simulation tool, a Prototyping project (PRT) using a 3D printer, or a Simulation and Prototyping project (SAP) where they had to complete a design using both tools. Participants were given a custom survey that assessed self-efficacy and the VARK learning styles inventory which assesses learners on Visual, Aural, Read / Write and Kinesthetic learning preferences. 97 students were surveyed representing a response rate of 22.6%. Student performance was assessed by examining scores on a subset of questions related to design visualization on the final examination for the course. Data analysis involved examining the correlation between learning style and self-efficacy, and scores on final examination for each of the three course modality groups. Findings from this study include higher performance for Kinesthetic learners assigned a simulation-based project and low performance for Read/Write learners with a prototyping project. This study supports the hypothesis that student performance may depend on learning preferences coupled with design project modality.

scholarly journals Introducing a Pre-Determined Feedback Pool for Evaluating Students’ Online Discussion Participation

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-107
Author(s):  
Dilani Perera-Diltz ◽  
R.J. Davis ◽  
Sedef Uzuner Smith ◽  
Carl Sheperis
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Online Classes ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
Specific Focus ◽  
Instructor Feedback

As self-regulation for successful online learning is a relatively new focus in online education, more attention is directed toward initiatives to help students become more cognizant of their learning efforts in online learning environments. Grounded in the idea that self-regulation is feedback dependent, we argue for the necessity of instructor feedback on student performance in online classes.  The specific focus is instructor feedback on students’ online discussion contributions.  To assist instructors in managing their feedback practices in large online classes with numerous discussion entries, we present a feedback pool that includes a range of predetermined comments instructors can choose from while assessing their students’ discussion participation. 

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